BI rescues victim of illegal surrogacy

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) foiled an attempt by a syndicate to traffic another Filipina to work as a surrogate mother for a fee of more than P500,000.

Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado disclosed on Wednesday that the 37-year-old victim was intercepted last October 15 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3, while attempting to board a Turkish Airlines flight to Batumi, Georgia.

Viado expressed alarm over the series of interceptions of women recruited for illegal surrogacy, saying that it was the seventh recorded case at the airports, showing a troubling trend of individuals being misled into these roles under false pretenses.

He condemned the scheme, saying that exploitative surrogacy falls within the scope of human trafficking, as it coerces or deceives women into becoming surrogate mothers.

In a report to Viado, the BI's immigration protection and border enforcement section (I-Probes) reported that the victim initially presented herself as a sales associate, traveling to Georgia for business purposes.

However, the primary inspection officer noticed discrepancies in her statements and referred her for a secondary inspection. When interviewed, she confessed to being recruited as a surrogate mother for an unidentified client.

The victim admitted a male recruiter contacted her via WhatsApp, offering P28,000 per month during pregnancy and a final payment of more than P500,000 after childbirth.

The recruiter had enticed her with promises of covered medical treatments and other benefits, apart from covering her documentation and travel costs.

I-Probes chief Mary Jane Hizon highlighted that this case represents a new type of human trafficking scheme, linking forced labor to surrogacy arrangements. Female victims are initially offered favorable living conditions but ultimately face exploitation and abuse.

It can be recalled that earlier this month, 20 Filipino women were rescued by Philippine authorities after being made surrogate mothers in Cambodia.

The intercepted victim was referred to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking for assistance and filing of cases against her recruiters.