DOJ files raps vs. 2 over sale of newborn baby

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday announced it has filed trafficking and child exploitation charges against two individuals over the sale of a newborn baby.

In a 5-page resolution dated May 20, the DOJ filed qualified trafficking and child exploitation charges against the two for attempting to sell the newborn baby for P90,000.

“[T]here is sufficient probable cause to indict respondents... for qualified trafficking,” the DOJ said in its resolution.

“In the instant case, the act of respondents in selling the newborn child is an act of exploitation,” it added.

According to the DOJ, prosecutors recommended no bail for the qualified trafficking charge and a bail of P80,000 for the child exploitation charge.

This stemmed from the complaint filed by the Philippine National Police-Women and Children Protection Center (PNP-WCPC) with the DOJ against the respondents.

The PNP-WCPC had received information from the National Authority for Child Care that there is a  “black market” in social media groups where individuals seek to illegally adopt children.

In February, the PNP-WCPC was able to transact with an individual who offered them a newborn for P90,000. A policewoman who was pretending to be an aspiring parent then agreed to meet with the individual in Dasmariñas City.

Department Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the child is already in one of the DSWD’s accredited care facilities.

The agency has also 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.

This was echoed by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla.

“Children are the most precious treasures of society meant to be fully protected by law, they are the best investments of today for a better tomorrow. We will never allow anyone to exploit them in any way,” Remulla said in a statement. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News