DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian has expressed alarm over the illegal adoption and sale of babies through social media.
In a press conference on Monday, May 20, 2024, Gatchalian announced the arrest of a “broker” and a mother who sold her eight-day-old baby for P90,000.
The arrest was made during an entrapment operation conducted by the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division of the Women and Children Protection Center in Dasmariñas City on May 15, 2024.
“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.
“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.
Charges for violation of Republic Act 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, were filed against the arrested suspect.
The baby was turned over to one of DSWD’s accredited care facilities.
National Authority for Child Care (NACC) Undersecretary Janella Ejercito Estrada said over the past year, they have found 20 to 40 Facebook pages where transactions for the illegal sale and adoption of babies, even of those who are yet to be born, take place.
She said the NACC have already reached out to the social media platform in a bid to address the matter but Facebook has yet to respond.
Gatchalian said that in these Facebook pages, children are being sold casually “as if they are a commodity.”
“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,” the DSWD secretary said.
(There are parents who want to adopt their child. They will post it like a commodity on Facebook and they will say I have this kind of child and is there anyone who wants to adopt 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, there are also people posting. They are looking, so they will post if you know anyone who sells -- who wants to adopt children for the desired price.)
Gatchalian reminded the public, especially those who plan to adopt a child, that there is a legal process in doing so.
He said adopting children needs no payment, or any fee so long as they go through the legal process. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)