THE DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) expects the illegal selling of babies and children using social media to stop after the National Authority on Child Care (NACC) and the Women and Children Protection Center of the Philippine National Police (PNP) busted a syndicate engaged in the vile business.
Gatchalian said the NACC and the PNP are already tracking the other groups engaged in the selling of babies.
“Let this be a stern warning against baby-selling syndicates that we will go after you and we will prosecute all arrested suspects until they are convicted and meted prison sentence,” Secretary Rex Gatchalian said during a press conference at the DSWD central office in Quezon City Monday.
The DSWD and attached agency NACC will have an active collaboration with social media providers, like Facebook, for the monitoring of accounts that are being used in the illegal activity.
“We also need a massive information campaign on the NACC law, which provided a simplified process of adoption,” Gatchalian said.
Gatchalian was joined by NACC executive director Undersecretary Janella Estrada and Col. Renato Mercado of the PNP Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC).
The entrapment operation was carried out by the PNP-WCPC at Immaculate Conception Church in Dasmariñas City, Cavite on May 15.
Arrested were Bacoor resident Arjay Malabanan, 37, married, and an employee of the Dasmariñas City local government unit; and Ma. Chariza Dizon, 29, single, and a resident of Tondo, Manila.
Dizon is the mother of the rescued male infant, only 8 days old at the time, whom she asked Malabanan to sell for PHP50,000 to PHP90,000
The suspects have already been charged with violation of Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.
Estrada said those who want to adopt can do so legally and for free upon completion of required documents and screening at NACC offices. (Zaldy De Layola)
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