Narrator/Denise Chan

But Jella and her co-workers felt they had nothing left to lose because they'd been out of their minds with distress since news of the impending transfer had come down. They were looking for any news about Filipinos who had escaped compounds like these.

But Jella and her co-workers felt they had nothing left to lose because they'd been out of their minds with distress since news of the impending transfer had come down. They were looking for any news about Filipinos who had escaped compounds like these.

And that's when they saw a name that would change everything.

And that's when they saw a name that would change everything.

Colonel Dominador Matalang. A man who had rescued Filipino nationals from compounds just like theirs. They immediately jumped to social media to find him.

Colonel Dominador Matalang. A man who had rescued Filipino nationals from compounds just like theirs. They immediately jumped to social media to find him.

A whole list of Matalongs appeared in the search results. Jel and her group sent out messages to all of them, asking each one if they were Colonel Matalong from the Philippine embassy. Then... They found him. Jela told Colonel about her situation and that she was a part of a group of 10 Filipinos who needed to escape. Like now. Colonel told her to stay calm. He would help the group try to get out.

A whole list of Matalongs appeared in the search results. Jel and her group sent out messages to all of them, asking each one if they were Colonel Matalong from the Philippine embassy. Then... They found him. Jela told Colonel about her situation and that she was a part of a group of 10 Filipinos who needed to escape. Like now. Colonel told her to stay calm. He would help the group try to get out.

But he would need her help. See, the civil war in Myanmar had made things messy. There wasn't a government that the Philippines could negotiate with. There was the military junta that had recently staged a coup and overthrown the democratically elected national government. And then there was a group from that overthrown government who were in exile and said they still had power.

But he would need her help. See, the civil war in Myanmar had made things messy. There wasn't a government that the Philippines could negotiate with. There was the military junta that had recently staged a coup and overthrown the democratically elected national government. And then there was a group from that overthrown government who were in exile and said they still had power.

But it was a patchwork of rebel groups that actually controlled much of the country, including where the compounds were located. And since the Philippine government refused to negotiate with these rebel groups, they didn't have any formal way to step in. But Colonel Toljala, he could help her and her coworkers negotiate a release for themselves. And to do that, you look for the complaint desk.

But it was a patchwork of rebel groups that actually controlled much of the country, including where the compounds were located. And since the Philippine government refused to negotiate with these rebel groups, they didn't have any formal way to step in. But Colonel Toljala, he could help her and her coworkers negotiate a release for themselves. And to do that, you look for the complaint desk.

Oh, easy. Just go look for the complaint desk. What the fuck? Turns out scam factories have complaint desks. Yeah, for real. These Chinese companies don't actually own the land these compounds are on. They're just tenants leasing the land from groups in Myanmar.

Oh, easy. Just go look for the complaint desk. What the fuck? Turns out scam factories have complaint desks. Yeah, for real. These Chinese companies don't actually own the land these compounds are on. They're just tenants leasing the land from groups in Myanmar.

And because of that, some of these compounds have an office with a complaint desk, a place staffed by local administrators and backed up by a group known as the Border Guard Forces. There are people of Myanmar there. Colonel told Jella, these people are Burmese. They don't work for the people holding you. Your boss is only their tenant.

And because of that, some of these compounds have an office with a complaint desk, a place staffed by local administrators and backed up by a group known as the Border Guard Forces. There are people of Myanmar there. Colonel told Jella, these people are Burmese. They don't work for the people holding you. Your boss is only their tenant.

And they don't want the aggravation or repercussions of foreign nationals getting hurt on their watch.

And they don't want the aggravation or repercussions of foreign nationals getting hurt on their watch.

The border guard forces weren't obligated to help anyone. Their loyalty was to themselves and to their own faction. But they made money from their tenants. Good money. As long as things were quiet, they didn't interfere. The complaint desks were their way to make sure that their tenants held up their side of the bargain.

The border guard forces weren't obligated to help anyone. Their loyalty was to themselves and to their own faction. But they made money from their tenants. Good money. As long as things were quiet, they didn't interfere. The complaint desks were their way to make sure that their tenants held up their side of the bargain.