Filipino woman, 35, part of Cambodia scam syndicate targeting S’pore victims, gets 25 months’ jail

A Filipino woman, who allegedly travelled to Cambodia for a job but found herself in a scam compound, was sentenced to 25 months' jail on Aug. 24 for being part of a syndicate and a conspiracy to cheat people in Singapore.

According to CNA, the judge said the prosecution had proven its case against De Villar Rizalyn Panganiban, 35, and that she had not been coerced and forced into committing the offences.

Although De Villar faced some restrictions while in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, she had a substantial degree of freedom and could have left the premises or sought help, the judge added.

De Villar was one of 12 people charged in September 2025 after the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Cambodian National Police disrupted the syndicate in a cross-border operation.

Several Singaporeans and Malaysians were among those charged.

De Villar was the first to stand trial.

Friend allegedly offered her a job overseas

According to CNA, De Villar said a friend had offered her a job in Cambodia with a monthly salary of US$1,500 (about S$1,905).

In late March 2025, she travelled to Cambodia via Malaysia.

Her passport was taken from her and she was driven to a call centre, where she was given a script.

CNA reported her lawyers arguing that De Villar had limited knowledge of Singapore. She denied knowing where Singapore was and said she believed it was in China.

The defence also highlighted that she had never previously travelled outside the Philippines.

However, the prosecution pointed out that she was aware of references to Singapore, and she was also instructed to speak with a Singaporean accent.

The judge said De Villar did not need to know Singapore's geographical location, its status as an independent country, or other characteristics for the charge to be made out.

Instead, the prosecution only had to establish that she knew Singapore was a particular locality or place.

Not shown to be a syndicate member: Defence

The defence argued that De Villar had not been shown to be a member of the syndicate.

Her lawyers argued that simply being present at the compound was insufficient to establish that she was a member.

According to The Straits Times (ST), the prosecution said she had joined the group for financial gain, but accepted she had not successfully scammed any victims because she had failed a test set by the syndicate.

According to CNA, the prosecution said De Villar had undergone training and received money while at the compound.

The judge accepted that the evidence was sufficient to establish her membership.

Although De Villar did not have her passport, she had access to her phone and could have sought help or attempted to leave, said the judge.

Additionally, while she did not pass the test, she participated in activities assigned to her, including training and being part of a chat group.

Prosecution sought at least 27 months' jail

According to ST, the prosecution sought a sentence of at least 27 months' jail for De Villar, describing the syndicate as sophisticated and successful.

They pointed out that they were still having difficulties apprehending high-level members of the syndicate.

According to CNA, within a year of its operations, the syndicate was linked to at least 528 reported scam cases involving losses of S$52.5 million.

The defence sought a sentence of no more than 15 months' jail and asked for a sentencing discount in recognition of De Villar's cooperation with the authorities.

Her lawyer also disputed the prosecution's reliance on the S$52.5 million loss figure, describing it as "nothing more than hearsay" based on the word of the investigating officer.

For being a member of an organised criminal group, De Villar could have been jailed for a maximum of five years, fined up to S$100,000, or both.

For conspiracy to cheat, she could have been jailed for up to 10 years and fined.