Pia Cayetano seeks Senate inquiry into online selling of babies

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Pia Cayetano is calling for a Senate investigation into the increasing number of posts offering babies for sale on social media platforms.

Cayetano formalized her motion in a resolution filed on Wednesday.

This came after the Commission on Human Rights Commissioner Beda Epres, in an interview with dzMM Teleradyo on Monday, raised an alarm over the uptrend in online posts that commodify babies, with most of them even having their own families complicit in their selling.

Cayetano strongly denounced the treatment of children as commodities and issued the resolution in response, calling for a thorough probe on the illegal trade of children.

"These are heartbreaking reports that demand swift and coordinated action. The sale of children online is a gross violation of their rights and a crime under our laws," she said.

Law enforcement and social agencies were tapped to look into whether the transactions occur in the oversight of organized syndicates and to address the systemic gaps that enable the widespread perpetration of the crime.

Cayetano called for the strict enforcement of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, which recognizes the selling of children and adoption for cash as acts of human trafficking.

The Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act was also cited as a means to strengthen affordable and efficient adoption procedures for Filipino families.

READ: Cebu City couple faces human trafficking raps for selling newborn

The senator also pressed for concentrated efforts in educating the community and digital monitoring, on account of reports of unborn babies already being placed for adoption in exchange for money.

READ: Infant selling incident: Cebu City hospital clarifies allegations

"This issue is a painful reminder of the deep poverty and desperation that some families face, but that cannot justify the exploitation of our children. We must give mothers and families real alternatives, including accessible social services and a humane, efficient adoption system," said Cayetano.

The senator vowed to lobby for legal measures that shield Filipino children from cases of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Nelson Caparas, INQUIRER.net trainee /das

(2025/07/17-14:19)

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