PHL officials to meet with two 'rescued' Pinays in US

Philippine authorities in the United States are arranging to meet with two Filipinas rescued from a reported human trafficking case in Virginia, District of Columbia, after they were granted consular access to the victims.

In posts on its Twitter account, the Philippine Embassy in Washington said the two Filipinas are now under the care of US authorities.

"Arrangements (are) being made by US authorities for consular officials to visit the two Filipina household workers on Monday," it said, adding it is "ready to extend assistance" to the two Filipinas.

Earlier, the embassy said it sought and had been granted consular access to the two household workers.

A report on CBS News said US immigration officials on April 30 removed the two Filipino women from a northern Virginia home owned by the government of Saudi Arabia.

The CBS report said the operation was part of an investigation into a report of human trafficking.

But the report also said local experts believe human trafficking is a more widespread problem than most people think.

CBS quoted Fairfax County Police Detective Bill Woolf as saying US authorities are "increasingly investigating sex slavery and labor trafficking."

In many cases, the report said foreigners are promised education or citizenship and then exploited by their American employers once they arrive. — LBG, GMA News

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