Woman nabbed for selling 6-day old baby for P25K

AUTHORITIES have arrested a woman in Muntinlupa City for attempting to sell a six-day old baby for P25,000 through social media, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said yesterday.

The woman, according to the DOJ was apprehended in an entrapment operation last July 16 made by operatives of the National Bureau of Investigation-Human Trafficking Division (NBI-HTRAD) in coordination with Department of Social Welfare and Development, Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and Cyber-TIP Monitoring Center.

The operation stemmed from an information provided by the Cyber-TIP Monitoring Center that the woman was allegedly engaged in selling babies in a Facebook page.

Following this lead, the NBI-HTRAD conducted an open-source intelligence gathering and verification on the alleged illicit activity.

An NBI agent also went undercover and posed as a buyer.

“The agent engaged in conversations with the perpetrator who introduced herself as a midwife and offered to sell a six-day old baby. They agreed to meet for the transaction,” the DOJ-IACAT said in a statement.

At the agreed meeting place, the suspect introduced herself to the undercover NBI agent and showed the baby in exchange for the money.

“Upon confirming her intent to sell the newborn baby, the agent signaled for the arrest,” it said, adding the baby was rescued and turned over to the custody of DSWD.

A case for violations of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Child Trafficking, Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, and the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 have been filed against the suspect.

Earlier, the DOJ vowed to be relentless in its drive against human trafficking, even as it said a whole-of-nation approach is needed to combat the nefarious trade.

DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix Ty said while the IACAT has been relentless in its campaign against human trafficking, especially those who exploit children, the elderly and other vulnerable persons the government cannot do it alone.