MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Embassy is appealing to the Cambodian government not to file criminal charges against the 20 Filipinas rescued from alleged surrogacy schemes, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty said on Tuesday.
Surrogacy is considered illegal in Cambodia.
“Currently, our embassy in Cambodia is coordinating with the Cambodian government to express our government’s desire that they not be arrested, not be treated as criminals, and instead be considered as victims of human trafficking.,” Ty said in Filipino in a press conference after the 2nd Regional Meeting of Southeast Asian National Anti-Trafficking Committees at the Diamond Hotel Manila on Tuesday.
Seven of the 20 rescued Filipinas may return to the Philippines this month, while the remaining 13 will stay in Cambodia while awaiting childbirth.
“So, let’s just wait and see what the outcome of the coordination will be. But what we can say positively is that they are being cared for and our embassy is being given access to them to monitor their well-being,” Ty said.
Last October 9, the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed the rescue of 20 Filipinas who were reportedly brought by a Philippine agency to become surrogate mothers in Cambodia.
Meanwhile, last October 11, Senate Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros said she wants an investigation into reported cases of Filipino women being trafficked abroad to become surrogate mothers as part of an infant-trafficking scheme.