Senate probe into 'surrogacy scheme' victimizing Pinays sought

A resolution has been filed in the Senate seeking an investigation into the reported trafficking of Filipino women for surrogacy and trade of infants abroad. 

In Proposed Senate Resolution No. 1211 filed on Thursday, Senator Risa Hontiveros said an investigation is needed to identify gaps in the current laws to prevent the “new form” of human trafficking scheme.

“Now, therefore, be it resolved, as it is hereby resolved, to direct the Committee on Women, Children, Family relations, and Gender Equality to conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, into the reported cases of women being trafficked to become surrogates as part of an infant-trafficking scheme,” she said.

Hontiveros, who chairs the concerned Senate committee, cited a report that a Philippine agency was found to have trafficked Filipino women into Cambodia to become surrogates for an infant-trafficking syndicate.

She said 20 Filipino women who were trafficked into Cambodia were rescued by the local police. 

Thirteen of them are pregnant through artificial means and have been indicted with human trafficking-related charges by the Cambodian Kandal Provincial Court, Hontiveros said.

The remaining seven women were found to be immigration offenders and were expelled from Cambodia, she added.

According to Hontiveros, the Filipino women were recruited online and most of them were aware of the expectations of their labor abroad.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs alerted the public of this new form of human trafficking scheme targeting Filipino women,” Hontiveros said.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) earlier said it will look into the filing of complaints against local perpetrators behind the trafficking of Filipino women into becoming surrogate mothers in Cambodia. —KBK, GMA Integrated News