Philippines Probes Suspected Illegal Recruitment of Nationals for Russian Forces

The Philippines is investigating suspected illegal recruitment of its citizens for work in Russia, the Department of Migrant Workers said on Wednesday, following a Ukrainian military intelligence report that a Filipino national was killed while fighting alongside Russian forces.

The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, the Ukrainian government’s military intelligence agency, said on October 15 that a Philippine citizen had been killed during fighting in the Donetsk region.

According to the report, the man was 39 years old and came from Labason, Zamboanga del Norte. He was allegedly recruited by the Russian army in June 2026 and killed a month later.

“As of today, at least three eliminated (R)ussian mercenaries who were Philippine citizens have been identified,” the Ukrainian agency said in its statement.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said on Monday that it was seeking official confirmation of the report. The disclosure has prompted renewed concern in the Philippines about nationals who may have been recruited to join Russian forces.

Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in Manila that his department was working with the foreign affairs authorities to investigate the case and address suspected recruitment activities.

“We’re working closely also with DOJ-IACAT (Department of Justice-Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking) to put a stop to this. There are indeed illegal recruitment activities along these lines,” Cacdac told reporters.

“There’s an ongoing operation in this regard,” he added.

The investigation follows an incident last month in which the Bureau of Immigration intercepted four Filipino passengers at Ninoy Aquino International Airport. The men were preparing to travel to Thailand and Vietnam but told immigration officers during questioning that Russia was their final destination.

According to a statement from the Bureau of Immigration, some of the passengers said they had been recruited through a Facebook post offering work as security personnel for a monthly salary of 70,000 pesos, or about $1,100.

Another passenger claimed he had been promised a monthly salary of 150,000 pesos, equivalent to about $2,300, along with citizenship after one year and additional bonuses for completing a special mission.

Immigration officials assessed the men as potential victims of human trafficking and referred them to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for further investigation.

The Department of Migrant Workers is working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and justice authorities to investigate suspected recruitment networks and prevent further cases.

The developments have highlighted concerns over recruitment offers that may use overseas employment promises to draw Filipino nationals into dangerous or potentially unlawful activities abroad. Authorities have not yet publicly confirmed the full circumstances surrounding the death reported by Ukrainian intelligence.