PH asking Cambodia not to prosecute Pinay 'surrogacy' victims —official

The Philippine Embassy is appealing to the Cambodian government not to file charges against the Filipino women who were trafficked into becoming surrogate mothers there, Justice Undersecretary Nicolas Felix Ty said Monday.

“Hindi nila dapat pananagutan itong mga krimen na ito at ‘yun nga ‘yung ipaglalaban natin sa Cambodia,” Ty said in an interview on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

(They shouldn’t have to take responsibility for these crimes, and that's what we're fighting for in Cambodia.)

Surrogacy is considered illegal in Cambodia.

“Na sana, dahil tinuturing natin silang human trafficking victims, sana itong principle na ito, ‘yung non-punishment or non-criminality principle, ay i-apply ng Cambodia sa kanila,” Ty said.

(Hopefully, since we consider them human trafficking victims, Cambodia will apply the principle of non-punishment or non-criminality to them.)

Last week, the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh said the Cambodian National Police has rescued 20 Filipino women who were trafficked into being surrogate mothers in Kandal Province on September 23 .

Of the 20 victims, 13 are in “various stages of pregnancy.” 

According to Ty, the seven victims may be repatriated soon while the 13 pregnant women will remain in Cambodia.

Ty also said financial aid and other benefits will be given to the victims.

“Dahil biktima sila ng human trafficking, maari nilang matanggap mula sa pamahalaan ang iba’t ibang benepisyo na binibigay sa human trafficking [victim],” he said.

(Because they are victims, they will receive various aid from the government.)

“Kasama na dito ‘yung mag psychosocial support, kasama dito ‘yung ayuda, kasama dito ‘yung mga efforts upang ma-reintegrate sila sa lipunan at mabigyan ng mas mabuting buhay,” he added.

(These include psychosocial support, aid, and efforts to reintegrate them to society.) 

DOJ spokesperson Mico Clavano earlier said the Justice Department will look into the filing of complaints against local perpetrators behind the trafficking. 

He said there are indicators that the perpetrators in Cambodia have accomplices in the Philippines. —KBK, GMA Integrated News