The Department of Justice (DOJ) assured an expeditious probe on schemes that lure Filipinas who are "exploited" to be surrogate mothers abroad.
In a statement, the DOJ said that many Filipino women, who are often driven by economic hardship, are “coerced into surrogacy agreements under false pretenses and inadequate legal protection.”
The DOJ-led Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) had endorsed to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in October 2023 the cases of intercepted Filipinas who were suspected of being trafficked abroad to become surrogate mothers.
The DOJ said that "under Philippine laws, trafficking of persons includes the recruitment, transportation, or harboring of persons by means of force, fraud, or deception for the purpose of exploitation."
“The use of vulnerable women in surrogate arrangements for financial gain, particularly when they are coerced or misled, falls squarely under this definition,” it stressed.
Thus, the DOJ urged Filipinas “to be vigilant and cautious when presented with offers that seem too good to be true, particularly those involving overseas work in the field of surrogacy.”
“We view this practice as a form of modern-day slavery and exploitation. We are closely investigating these incidents to determine whether these women can be classified as victims of human trafficking,” the DOJ also said.
“Rest assured, the DOJ is committed to ensuring that those responsible for exploiting our fellow Filipinas will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” it declared.
It also urged its foreign counterparts and international organizations “ to cooperate in the fight against this rising form of exploitation.”
The expeditious probe was ordered after reports that 20 Filipinas, including 13 who are already pregnant, were rescued in Cambodia by local authorities.
The reports stated that the Filipinas were lured into becoming surrogate mothers in Cambodia where surrogacy is illegal.
Wikipedia says "surrogacy is an arrangement, often supported by a legal agreement, whereby a woman agrees to childbirth on behalf of another person who will become the child's parent after birth."