Gov’t to provide legal assistance to Pinay 'surrogacy' victims

The Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh will provide legal assistance to the Filipinas who were trafficked into becoming surrogate mothers in Cambodia, Justice Undersecretary Nicky Ty said Tuesday.

“‘Yung counsel, meron na. Kasama ito sa assistance to nationals na ibinibigay ng mga embahada natin sa mga kababayan natin na nabibiktima sa ibang bansa,” he said.

(There will be counsel provided. This is part of the assistance to nationals that the embassy gives to our countrymen who are victimized in other countries.

“So alam ko ngayon nasa proseso na sila na mag engage ng abugado na mag re-representa sa mga Pilipinang ito sa kasong maari nilang harapin,” he added.

(Right now, they are in the process of engaging with lawyers who will represent them in whatever case they could face.)

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

Ty has said that the Filipinas may face charges as surrogacy is a crime in Cambodia.

He said the embassy is appealing to the Cambodian government not to file charges against them.

“Nasabi naman sa amin ng mga delegates mula sa Cambodia na nasa mabuting kondisyon ‘yung mga Pilipino na nandoon,” Ty said.

(The delegates from Cambodia told us that the Filipinos there are in good condition.)

Cambodia was among the countries present during the second regional meeting of the Southeast Asian National Anti-Trafficking Committees. —RF, GMA Integrated News