A Queensland father arrested on suspicion of trafficking sex workers from the Philippines has languished inside a Filipino prison for more than three years without a trial and claims his life has been destroyed by a corrupt border official.

Troy Russell Birthisel, 47, is facing a life sentence after he was detained at an airport in the Philippines in October 2013 along with seven Filipino women, all attempting to board a plane to Singapore.

Birthisel insists he is innocent and is now begging the Australian government to pressure Filipino authorities into expediting his case, as he approaches his fourth Christmas behind bars in the grossly over-populated Lapu Lapu city jail in Cebu.

He told nine.com.au an arresting officer had tried to extort money from him at the airport, and that six of his young female travel companions had been intimidated and "coerced" into making damning allegations against him.

Birthisel said he was asked to escort the seven women, including his Filipino girlfriend, to a round of psychometric testing for a job in Singapore's hospitality sector. The women, some who had never travelled abroad, were concerned for their safety, he claimed, admitting he had been "naïve and stupid" to agree.

Troy Birthisel says he is the victim of a corrupt border official, who has destroyed his life. Source: Nine.com.au

His case, plagued by countless adjournments and delays, is yet to reach trial. He has never had a bail hearing and, more than three years on, is yet to make a formal police statement outside the ten-minute interview on the night of his arrest, Birthisel said.

After Birthisel's arrest, prosecutors claimed the Australian mining executive had operated a fake Facebook account under the name "George Morrell" which was being used to recruit Filipinos for work, perhaps in Singaporean brothels.

"[Lovely] Modina and [Troy] Birthisel recruited and transported [the six women] for overseas employment when in truth they were not authorised," assistant prosecutor Geronima Baringou told the court during a December 2013 hearing.

Baringou's prosecution team dropped the charges of human trafficking charges, citing lack of evidence. However, Birthisel is now charged with illegal recruitment involving economic sabotage – still a very serious crime that carries a life sentence in the Philippines.

"It’s not a nice thing to be called a human trafficker and a sex slaver. I’ve lost my family, I’ve lost everything. I’ve got three children who haven’t spoken to me in over three years," Birthisel said.

Troy Birthisel is a mining executive who has worked abroad in Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. Source: Nine.com.au

"There is not one piece of evidence to show [involvement in human trafficking]. It’s disgusting to be honest."

Birthisel's Filipino girlfriend Lovely Jane Modina is also accused of conspiring to commit the same crime, and she too has been locked up since October 2013.

The six other women who were travelling with the pair were never arrested.

Nine.com.au has sighted signed affidavits from four of the six Filipino women dated March 2014, all which retract the original allegations they made against Birthisel and Modina in 2013.

The four women said police had confiscated their passports and made them feel "afraid" while making statements of complaint under pressure. One woman in the group had gone underground, Birthisel confirmed, while the other continued to work with prosecutors.

One part of a four-page affidavit sighted by Nine.com.au. Four of the six women have signed affidavits clearing Troy Birthisel of wrongdoing. Source: Nine.com.au

"I’m entitled to a day in court and should I be convicted then, fine, I'll wear that. I don’t believe I'm guilty of anything and I’ve got evidence to say that I’m not. I’ve actually got evidence, and they don’t even have evidence," Birthisel said.

Human rights organisations have expressed concern over instances of lengthy incarcerations without a trial in the Philippines. This year, after spending five years in prison waiting for his trial, American citizen Scott McMahon was acquitted of two rape charges he had always strongly denied.

Armed guards stand at the gate of Lapu-Lapu city jail. The jail is home to almost 1700 prisoners, despite being designed to hold 150 inmates. Source: Capital FM

Birthisel has contacted Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and pleaded with DFAT to "push my human rights for a quick and speedy trial".

A DFAT spokesperson told nine.com.au they were aware of Birthisel's plight and were providing consular assistance.

The travel party of Birthisel and seven women were stopped and turned around at an airport in Manilla on October 22, 2013.

The following day, the group of eight departed the Philippines capital and journeyed 570kms south to Cebu airport, where they attempted to board a plane for Singapore and were arrested.

Tory Birthisel is in prison in Cebu, around 570kms south of Philippines capital Manila. Source: Google Maps

Birthisel's older brother Todd told nine.com.au that Troy was "doing it tough" and "starving to death really slowly". He admitted it did not look good to be travelling with a group of Asian women across international borders.

"He's an Aussie citizen," Todd Birthisel said.