Miriam wants Senate inquiry on trafficking of unborn babies

Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago has filed a resolution seeking a Philippine Senate inquiry into reports that pregnant Filipino women are being made to travel abroad as tourists to sell their newborns to waiting adoptive parents. Senate Resolution 572 seeks to look into the revelation of Social Welfare Undersecretary Alicia Bala in a Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) report that a new modus operandi involves pregnant mothers travelling to particular countries to have their children adopted. Santiago quoted Bala as saying apprehending offenders in the trafficking of unborn children is difficult because the pregnant mothers are able to exit the Philippines legally. Such cases can only be determined when the receiving country issues an incident report, Santiago explained. In the PDI report, Bala said two such cases have been reported so far — one in Malta last year and another in Austria two years ago. "It is imperative for the State to be vigilant and closely monitor the incidents of trafficking of unborn babies and strictly implement our inter-country adoption laws," Santiago said in the measure. "This deplorable incident continues to prevail despite the fact that we have an efficient inter-country adoption system which involves the participation of well-trained professionals in handling the process, screening parents, and matching prospective babies to homes that would best provide them their needs," Santiago said in the measure. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 states that "it shall be unlawful for any person, natural or juridical to... adopt or facilitate the adoption of persons for the purpose of prostitution, pornography, sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery, involuntary servitude or debt bondage." Section 16 of Republic Act No. 8043 or the Inter-Country Adoption Act of 1995 likewise provides penalties for "any person who shall knowingly participate in the conduct or carrying out of an illegal adoption." Santiago said between 400 to 500 Filipino children are adopted by foreign parents under a Philippine system managed by the Inter-Country Adoption Board. - VVP, GMA News