Mom charged for selling 2-mo-old baby for P60K

A 23-year-old mother from Catarman, Northern Samar was charged with violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act (RA 9208) for selling her two-month-old baby through the social media platform Facebook.

National Authority for Child Care (NACC) head Janella Ejercito Estrada said the mother was caught selling her two-month-old child for P60,000 during an entrapment operation conducted by the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) last June 4 in Barangay Narra in Catarman.

The arrest of the mother comes a month after the NACC and the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) rescued an eight-day-old baby who was sold for P90,000 during an entrapment operation in Damariñas City in Cavite.

Estrada appealed to the public not to engage in the illegal online trade of babies as she condemned the continued illegal practice, particularly those done through social media platforms such as Facebook.

“Nananawagan po ako sa ating mga kababayan na huwag makibahagi o suportahan ang bentahan ng bata – online man o pisikal. Walang bata o sino mang indibidwal ang maaring ikalakal, abusuhin, o gamitin para sa pansariling interes. Wala itong puwang sa isang sibilisado at makataong Lipunan (I call on the public not to take part or support the sale of children – whether online or physical. No children or individuals should be traded, abused or used for personal interests. It does not have a place in a civilized and humane society),” she said.

Estrada reiterated that anyone who is caught selling children, online or physically, will face a lifetime of imprisonment and a fine of P2 to P5 million.

She reminded the public that the children can be given up for adoption through legal means.

She said the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act or Republic Act 11642 was enacted to make adoption simpler, easier and faster.