DSWD raises alarm on illegal adoption, sale of babies on social media

Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Monday raised the alarm on the illegal adoption and sale of babies over social media, saying this is a cruel form of child exploitation and human trafficking.

Gatchalian issued the warning after the Philippine National Police apprehended a woman and her agent for selling her 8-day old child for P50,000 up to P90,000.

“We will not tolerate such acts of cruelty. We will use the fullest extent of the law to apprehend and to prosecute those that will be caught,” Gatchalian said in a press briefing.

“Kaya nga ang panawagan namin, while we are monitoring the social media accounts aggressively, the potential— those that are thinking of doing this, there are legal ways to have your child adopted,” he added.

(That's why our call is, while we are monitoring the social media accounts aggressively, to those who are thinking of doing this, there are legal ways to have your child adopted.)

According to Police Colonel Renato Mercado, the chief of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division of the Women and Children Protection Center, the woman and her broker were arrested during an entrapment operation in Dasmariñas City on May 15.

“So eventually they were arrested and now the two suspects are detained in our custodial facility in Camp Crame in the WCPC custodial facility,” he said.

Mercado said the suspects have undergone inquest and are facing a charge for violation of Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.

Meanwhile, the child is in one of DSWD’s accredited care facilities, according to Gatchalian.

For her part, National Authority for Child Care (NACC) Undersecretary Janella Ejercito Estrada said they have been monitoring the illegal adoption of babies since last year and have found 20 to 40 Facebook pages where such transactions take place.

Estrada said there were also Facebook pages selling unborn children.

“Meron ‘yung mga magulang na gusto ipaampon ‘yung anak nila, ipo-post parang commodity sa Facebook at sasabihin nila meron akong ganitong klaseng bata at meron bang gustong umampon for a particular price,” Gatchalian said.

(There are parents who want to sell their children, and they will post them as if they are a commodity on Facebook that there is a child like this and if someone wants to adopt him or her for a particular price.)

“Then, meron din naman nagpo-post, naghahanap sila, so magpopost sila na meron ba kayong kakilala na nagbebenta— na gusto magpa-adopt ng mga bata sa gustong halaga,” he added.

(Then others will post that they are looking or if they know someone who is selling their children for a set price.)

Gatchalian said the NACC wrote to Facebook last year but has yet to receive a response. He said both agencies will try to engage with them again.

Meanwhile, Estrada stressed that individuals who are interested in becoming parents may adopt children legally. She said there are no fees for those who are seeking to adopt children. 

Interested individuals must apply to NACC regional offices and present their birth certificates, NBI clearance, and other similar clearances, among others.

“Kapag nag-apply po ang prospective adoptive parents, ima-match po sila sa mga bata. So ang matching committee po natin meron po diyan mga lawyers, psychologist, doctors, social workers, at NGO representatives. So sila po ang nagma-match sa mga bata doon po sa ating mga prospective adoptive parents,” she said.

(When prospective adoptive parents apply, they will be matched with the children. So the matching committee is composed of lawyers, psychologists, doctors, social workers, and NGO representatives. They will match the children to the prospective adoptive parents.)—AOL, GMA Integrated News