By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Describing the illegal selling of babies as a “cruel form of child exploitation,” Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian has commended the National Authority on Child Care (NACC) and the Women and Children Protection Center of the Philippine National Police (PNP) for rescuing an eight-day old baby boy from being sold for P90,000.
The DSWD chief lamented that the social media has become an unwitting tool for the illegal selling of innocent children.
“Children should not be treated as commodities,” Gatchalian fumed during a press conference Monday (20 May 2024) at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City.
Police Col. Renato C. Mercado of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) disclosed that the baby’s mother, Ma. Chariza Rivera Dizon, 29, single, a resident of Tondo, Manila would have wanted to sell her newborn baby boy for only P50,000.
But her “broker” Arjay Malabanan , 37, married, a resident of Bacoor, Cavite and an employee of the Dasmariñas City local government unit (LGU) increased the price to P90,000.
The entrapment and rescue operation carried out by the PNP-WCPC against two suspects at Immaculate Conception Church in Dasmariñas City, Cavite last May 15 was based on a violation of Republic Act 9208 as amended, particularly the provision against child selling.
For her part, DSWD Undersecretary and NACC executive director Janella Estrada said that it’s time that illegal adoption must be stopped.
“With the arrest of the syndicate members, we expect that the illegal selling of babies and children using the social media will be stopped,” Gatchalian said.
(el Amigo/mnm)
