MANILA (ANN/DAILY INQUIRER) – The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has confirmed the rescue of 20 Filipino women who a Philippine agency reportedly recruited to become surrogate mothers in Cambodia.
In an interview with Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, DFA Undersecretary for Migration Eduardo Jose de Vega revealed that 13 of the women are currently in different stages of pregnancy and are being cared for at a local hospital. The remaining seven women are set to be repatriated to the Philippines soon.
De Vega assured that the rescued women are receiving personal care and pre-natal support. He added that the Philippine government is working closely with relevant agencies to address future cases of surrogacy or human trafficking involving Filipino nationals.
According to an October 8 report by Khmer Times, the Philippine agency involved had been sending Filipino women to Cambodia to be artificially impregnated, allegedly for an infant-trafficking syndicate.
In a separate statement, the Philippine Embassy in Cambodia confirmed that the Cambodian National Police (CNP) rescued the women in Kandal Province on September 23. The operation was conducted in compliance with Cambodia’s Law on the Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the recruitment took place online, facilitated by an individual whose identity and nationality are still unknown. The recruiter used an alias and initially arranged for the women to travel to another Southeast Asian country, but later sent them to Cambodia, where surrogacy is prohibited.
At the time of their rescue, the women were under the care of a local “nanny,” alongside four women from a neighbouring country.
The Philippine Embassy is continuing to coordinate with Cambodian authorities to ensure the swift resolution of the case and the safe return of the women to the Philippines.
