9 rescued from kidney organ trafficking in Bulacan — DOJ

Authorities arrested several suspects involved in kidney organ trafficking and rescued nine victims in San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said Monday.

According to the DOJ, operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation, in collaboration with the Philippine National Police, and local social workers, conducted the rescue operation on July 11.

“During the operation, the perpetrators were apprehended while attempting to deliver payments to one of the victims,” the DOJ said in a statement.

“They were arrested for their involvement in harboring, and maintaining the victims for organ trafficking purposes,” it added.

In a statement released Tuesday, the NBI said the suspects offered P200,000 to the victims for the transfer of the kidney to a paying client.

The kidneys of four rescued victims had already been extracted and sold.

The DOJ said the perpetrators were brought to the NBI office for proper booking, fingerprinting, and photographing. 

Meanwhile, the NBI said the leader of the group remains at large.

Meanwhile, the rescued victims were turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking.

According to the DOJ, the operation was initiated following a case referral from 

“Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho,” which detailed allegations from a victim.

“The victims were recruited under the pretense of alleviating their financial burdens by selling their kidneys. The traffickers orchestrated the illegal transplants, exploiting the victims’ economic vulnerabilities,” it said.

The victims’ needs were provided for to ensure that they remained in good health until the extraction, the DOJ said.—LDF/RSJ, GMA Integrated News