Babies from Cambodian surrogacy scheme to be brought to PH

A woman rescued from a sex-trafficking operation in a shelter in Tacloban City. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

MANILA (UPDATED) -- The Department of Justice said the Philippine government will bring home to the Philippines the babies born to Filipino mothers who were convicted of acting as surrogates in Cambodia.

DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the National Authority for Child Care will be on-board to take care of the babies.

Ty said the latest information from Cambodia is that one of the 13 Fiipinas has already given birth.

“Pag-aaralan kung makakabuti ba sa mga batang ito na kung ipa-adopt na lang sila sa ibang pamilya,” Ty said.

He noted that the main concern of Cambodian authorities is the welfare of the babies as they are the victims while the mothers are among the perpetrators of the illegal surrogacy scheme. 

READ: Cambodian court jails 13 pregnant Filipino surrogates

READ: 13 pregnant Filipinas jailed in Cambodia in ‘good condition’: ambassador

“Isang pinakamalaking concern ng Cambodian government dapat ang mga bata ay maalagaan. Ayaw nilang mangyari na kung pakawalan nila ang mga bata sa atin ay ibigay sa nanay at mabenta ng nanay. Iyon ang gusto nilang maiwasan,” Ty said.

The justice official also noted that if the biological parents of the children will come forward to claim their children, they may face legal consequences.

“Subukan nilang maghabol. Kung maghabol sila ay mananagot sila sa Cambodian government. Hindi ko alam kung meron mga na-aresto sila,” Ty said.

He also noted that the sentence of four years with 2 years suspended was the best that the Philippine government could afford for the Filipinas.

“Ang imposable sentence niyan 15 to 20 years. Nagawan ng paraan na ang sentence ay 4 years but 2 years were suspended so 'yon na ang parang GCTA (Good Conduct Time Allowance) nila, kaya 2 years na lang ang sentence ng mga Pilipinang ito,” Ty said.

The DOJ official said the National Bureau of Investigation continues its investigation to hunt down the Filipino recruiters who were victims of traffickers in the Philippines.

READ: Senate probe sought into 'surrogacy scheme' victimizing Filipinas

Ty noted that while the Philippine government has a liberal approach to victims of trafficking, the Cambodian government considers mothers in illegal surrogacy scheme as part of the crime.

“Sana maging babala ito sa mga Pilipina, sa mga kababayan natin na natutukso na pumasok sa ganitong arrangement na talagang maaari kang mapanganib dito at maaari kang mapasagot lalo na kapag nahuli ka sa ibang bansa. Pero higit sa lahat sana wag niyong kalimutan na nangbibiktima kayo ng bata dito kahit pa di pa napapanganak sila ang tunay na biktima dito,” Ty said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Foreign Affairs has advised Filipinos who are seeking job in Cambodia not to fall victim to surrogacy offers.

"Bawal ang surrogacy sa Cambodia kaya kung may offer sa inyo ialok sa inyo online na maging surrogate mother $10-12,000 bawat baby. Hindi po totoo 'yan," DFA Usec. Eduardo De Vega explained. 

"Pupunta kayo du'n pero crime naman 'yun sa bansang 'yun. So, 'wag niyo pong gawin. Hindi po namin siguradong mapapalaya kayo," he added. 

De Vega said the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh has been providing assistance to the Filipino surrogates. 

"Binibigyan pa sila ng legal assistance, 13 sila, ng embahada at titingnan pa kung maaaring payagan umuwi o pauwiin," De Vega said.

The DFA is also working with other agencies including the Department of Justice and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, according to De Vega. 

In a statement, the Inter-Agency Council Against Traffickiing said it is deeply saddened by the two-year imprisonment imposed on the 13 Filipinas.

"Nevertheless, we are grateful to the Cambodian government for significantly reducing their sentences from the original 15–20 years to just two years," the IACAT said.

The IACAT also extended thanks to the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia led by Ambassador Flerida Ann Camille Mayo for their support to the Filipinas and to the DOJ team that traveled to Cambodia to advocate on their behalf.