DOJ: Plight of trafficked surrogate moms a warning for Pinoy women

Department of Justice (Photo courtesy DOJ / PNA)

By Benjamin Pulta | Philippine News Agency

A senior Department of Justice (DOJ) official on Thursday said the plight of 13 Filipinas convicted for violation of the surrogacy ban in Cambodia should serve as a warning to women who are similarly being enticed with large sums by human traffickers.

At the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said the reportedly large sums of money being offered to Filipino women by illegal recruiters belie the dire consequences to the victims.

“Kung meron pa tayong ibang mga kababayan na natutukso sa ganitong posibilidad na maging surrogate mother para sa malaking halaga, na balita namin umaabot ng mga kalahating milyon ang makukuha nila, dito sana magdalawang isip na kayo. Sana ’wag n’yo gawin ’to dahil maaari mangyari sa inyo ang mga nangyari dito sa mga kawawang kababayan natin,” Ty said.

“Pero higit sa lahat ’wag n’yo kalimutan na may mas biktima pa dito sa sitwasyon na ’to at ang mga biktima na ’to ay ’yong mga bata na maisisilang sa ganitong illegal surrogacy scam. Kita n’yo naman, ’di ba, namomroblema tayo ngayon kung ano ang gagawin natin sa mga batang ’to once maiuwi natin dito sa Pilipinas,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ty said authorities have identified an agency which recruited the women based on the information given by the seven victims who were repatriated.

“Mula sa kanilang mga kuwento ay may na-identify kaming isang agency, isang recruiter dito sa Pilipinas na tinututukan na natin ngayon [ng] kriminal na imbestigasyon,” he said. 

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