By Liezelle Soriano
MANILA — The Philippine National Police (PNP) Women and Children Protection Center has arrested two individuals for allegedly selling an eight-day-old baby for P90,000 on Facebook’s marketplace.
Both suspects were arrested during an entrapment operation in Dasmariñas City, according to PCol. Renato Mercado of the PNP Women and Children Protection Center. One of the suspects was the baby’s mother.
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian stated that the PNP and DSWD do not tolerate such acts.
“We will not tolerate such acts of cruelty. We will use the fullest extent of the law to apprehend and prosecute those caught,” he said during a press conference on Monday, May 20, 2024.
Gatchalian emphasized that there are legal ways to have a child adopted, referring to the National Authority for Child Care.
“You do not need to go to marketplaces like Facebook to sell your child because the NACC law was precisely made to streamline the adoption process for those seeking to adopt,” the Secretary said.
Meanwhile, Mercado noted that they have identified 23 Facebook pages involved in selling babies.
(el Amigo/MNM)
