Amid threats to their lives, two victims of human trafficking are pushing through with their case against their local and foreign recruiters who are now both in jail.

The Department of Justice (DoJ) presented Friday two victims of human trafficking in Malaysia who relayed their ordeal in the hands of their employers there after falling victim to human trafficking in May, 2008.

The two victims said they were made to work as domestic helpers in Malaysia after they had been enticed to go there with promises of high-paying jobs.

Vicki and Mary (not their real names) said they worked in Malaysia as domestic helpers from May to July last year for an average of 20 hours a day without pay, and were subjected to inhumane treatment by their employers.

Almost a year after their cases have been filed in Malaysia and in the Philippines, the court trial has begun and the local and foreign recruiters of the two victims have been arrested. However, the identities of the local and foreign recruiters could not be revealed because the law prohibits the publication of their names until after they have been convicted.

The two victims said they had been offered bribes by the family members of their local recruiter in the Philippines to tempt them to withdraw the cases here and in Malaysia. When they refused the bribes, they received death threats.

"Sabi nila tanggapin ko na lang daw yung P60,000 kapalit ng pag-urong ng kaso kung alam ko daw kung anong makabubuti sa pamilya ko," said one of them in a press conference.

A court hearing was held in Malaysia last Wednesday against the Singaporean national who recruited the two victims, and another hearing has been set later this year.

More cases are being readied against the Singaporean recruiter by seven other Filipinos who have also been recruited for work in Malaysia but have fallen victim to forced labor there and are now stranded at the Philippine embassy.

DoJ Undersecretary Ricardo Blancaflor said with the determination of the victims to pursue the cases they filed, and the coordination of the different government agencies and migrant worker advocates, justice would be achieved and the arrested suspects would be convicted of human trafficking.

"We are witnessing a team effort between government and a non-government organization in the fight against a notorious trafficker, and it has yielded concrete results both in the Philippines and in Malaysia," Blancaflor said.