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'Baby Miracle': How gov't rescued baby sold by mom over e-sabong debts

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David Dizon, ABS-CBN News

<p>A baby who was sold by her mother because of e-sabong debts has been rescued by authorities from a Nigerian male and his partner. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/03/14/22/sanggol-sa-pasig-binenta-pambayad-sa-e-sabong">Sanggol sa Pasig, binenta pambayad sa e-sabong</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Na recover na po namin yung bata. Nasa poder siya ng isang magnobyo, isang Nigerian at isang Pilipina,&quot; Atty Janet Francisco, chief of the National Bureau of Investigation Human Trafficking Division, said in a TeleRadyo interview. </p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">JUST IN: The NBI Human Trafficking Division has rescued baby “Miracle”. The 9month old baby who was sold by her mom because of e-sabong debts. Details to follow. <a href="https://t.co/WinjVv4XcG">pic.twitter.com/WinjVv4XcG</a></p>— Niko Baua (@Nikobaua) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nikobaua/status/1506193420083105792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 22, 2022</a></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>Francisco said the Filipina denied buying the baby and claimed the child was given to her by a nurse. Investigation showed the Nigerian is also an overstaying foreigner. <br/> <br/>The 2 will face child trafficking and other charges. &quot;They are in possession of the child so they will be sued,&quot; the NBI official said. </p><p>The NBI is also investigating if the Nigerian is part of a larger syndicate involved in child trafficking. &quot;Baka may iba pang bata na naibenta na,&quot; she said. </p><p>The case of baby &quot;Miracle&quot; went viral after the 22-year-old mother appealed to the &quot;buyers&quot; of her daughter to return her child. She said she sold her own child for P45,000 (approximately US$856) to pay her gambling debts, after being addicted to online sabong. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/03/15/22/ama-ng-batang-binenta-pambayad-sa-e-sabong-di-alam-na-lulong-sa-bisyo-ang-kinakasama">Ama ng batang binenta pambayad sa e-sabong, di alam na lulong sa bisyo ang kinakasama</a></li></ul><p>In the interview, Francisco said the successful rescue of baby Miracle was carried out with the help of a local transport company, a fastfood chain, and the national and local governments. </p><p>&quot;Marami kaming ginawa, Kabayan, we cannot disclose because this is a strategy of the law enforcers,&quot; she said, before thanking barangay Baesa and the local government of Pasig, Jollibee, 9-star Transport, local banks, and other government agencies. </p><p>She noted information given by a taxi driver was particularly helpful in tracing the whereabouts of the child. &quot;Malaki ang tulong nung impormasyon na binigay sa amin. Yung mga bangko din po,&quot; she said. </p><p>For his part, the baby&#x27;s father, Anthony, said the &quot;buyer&quot; contacted him and made overtures that she was willing to return the baby. </p><p>&quot;Yung kumuha po sa anak ko, nakipag-ugnayan, nakipag-dulungan sa amin na maibalik na po yung anak ko,&quot; he said in a separate TeleRadyo interview. </p><p>He said the buyer informed him that she was in Calamba, Laguna. Authorities then found out the buyer&#x27;s house and trailed her vehicle until she was arrested in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. </p><p>&quot;Bumaba po yung babae po bibili po ng prutas. Ginawa namin, kinorner na namin. Tapos, nahuli na po, nandoon po yung anak ko...Siya po yung bumili,&quot; he said, adding that the baby was being held by the Nigerian. </p><div><strong>HOW IT HAPPENED</strong></div><p>In an earlier interview with ABS-CBN News, taxi driver &quot;Rex&quot; said he was driving his cab when a woman flagged his vehicle in Quezon City last March 3. </p><p>&quot;Dalawang babae. Yung isang babae, medyo mataba, puti yung damit, hawak-hawak niya yung maliit na bata. Bale, dito sa dibdib niya, karga niya. Yung isang babae naman may dala rin na medyo malaki na bata,&quot; &quot;Rex&quot; recounted. </p><p>Rex said the woman with the larger child boarded his cab and was weeping all through the journey. She then said: &quot;Kuya, balikan ko yung anak ko. Kukunin ko...Anak ko yung karga nung babae.&quot;</p><p>Rex said he made a u-turn and went back to Quezon City but that the &quot;buyer&quot; could no longer be contacted. &quot;Kuya, na block na ako. Binlock na ako,&quot; the mother told Rex. </p><p>It was then that the mother revealed she sold her baby because she could no longer afford to take care of her. &quot;Sabi niya hindi na niya kayang pakainin dahil may sakit sa puso yung anak niya, may butas sa puso.&quot;</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1966953" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div><strong>SANA MABUO ANG PAMILYA KO</strong></div><p>Baby Miracle is currently under the custody of a social worker. The NBI talked to the child&#x27;s father about surrendering the child to a social worker for the meantime. </p><p>Francisco said it is unlikely that Baby Miracle will be returned to her mother. &quot;Medyo masalimuot kasi ang nanay ang nagbenta ng bata (It&#x27;s complicated because the mother sold the baby),&quot; she said. </p><p>In the interview, the child&#x27;s mother, Rosemary, denied that she sold her child because of e-sabong debts. &quot;Hindi naman ganoon kalaki ang utang ko. Nasa 10 lang,&quot; she said. </p><p>Asked why she sold her child, she said: &quot;Wala akong maisip na paraan at sobrang stress na po.&quot; </p><p>She said the buyer, whom she met online, had initially offered to pay P20,000 for the baby but raised the offer to P45,000. </p><p>After receiving the cash, Rosemary said she had a change of heart and texted the buyer that she wanted to return the money only to find that her number was already blocked. </p><p>The baby&#x27;s father, meanwhile, said he wants their family to become whole again, noting that both their children cannot see their mother. &quot;Sana po mabuo na pamilya ko,&quot; he said. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1973112" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

A baby who was sold by her mother because of e-sabong debts has been rescued by authorities from a Nigerian male and his partner. 

'Baby Miracle': How gov't rescued baby sold by mom over e-sabong debts

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'Baby Miracle': How gov't rescued baby sold by mom over e-sabong debts

David Dizon,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 23, 2022 10:07 AM PHT

Read More:

e-sabong

nbi

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baby miracle

nigerian

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