A woman was arrested for attempting to sell a six-day-old baby for P25,000 through social media, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Thursday.
The arrest was made by the National Bureau of Investigation Human Trafficking Division (NBI-HTRAD) during an entrapment operation in Muntinlupa City on July 16, GMA Integrated News reported. The operation was conducted in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the DOJ-Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, and the Cyber-Tip Monitoring Center.
According to the DOJ, the NBI-HTRAD received information from the Cyber-Tip Monitoring Center about the alleged sale of a baby online. Following intelligence gathering and verification, an NBI undercover agent posed as a buyer and communicated with the suspect, who identified herself as a midwife. They arranged to meet in Muntinlupa, where the woman was subsequently arrested.
The baby has been turned over to the DSWD for care.
The DOJ stated that the woman is being charged with violating Section 4(g) of RA 9208, as amended by RA 10364 and RA 11862, also known as the “Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act,” and child trafficking under RA 7610 or the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act,” in relation to RA 10175 or the “Cybercrime Prevention Act.”
Inquest proceedings were conducted at the DOJ on July 17.
“The successful operation underscores the ongoing efforts of the government to combat human trafficking and protect the most vulnerable members of society,” the DOJ said in a statement.
