A minority lawmaker has initiated a congressional inquiry into the illicit clandestine trade of human organs allegedly orchestrated by a nurse at the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) in Quezon City.

Agri Partylist Rep. Wilbert Lee filed House Resolution 1803 on Thursday to launch an investigation into the “human bopis for sale” scheme, which he stressed is a blatant violation of the Organ Donation Act of 1991 and Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.

“This modus operandi prey on our poor countrymen, especially those in dire straits and desperate to earn a living,” Lee said in vernacular.

“What’s more alarming is that doctors and nurses are allegedly involved. The people trust them, yet they put them at risk,” he added.

At least nine organ donors were rescued by the National Bureau of Investigation earlier this week in a raid in an exclusive subdivision in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan. Four of whom had already had their kidneys removed in exchange for P200,000 each.

The NBI implicated Allan Ligaya, a staff nurse at the NKTI, as the mastermind of the kidney trafficking scheme.

Three of his alleged cohorts -- Angela Atayde, Marichu Lomibao, and Daniel Sicat -- were arrested by the NBI in the same operation.

According to the NBI, the traffickers are exploiting the economic vulnerability of the victims by offering P200,000 in exchange for one of their kidneys.

Lee lamented that “many kidney donors, particularly those from vulnerable communities such as slums, are often unaware of the risks and side effects of the operation.”

‘Only tip of the iceberg’

Lee said that his office conducted research concerning the illegal organ trade and found out that the scheme has been openly ongoing on Facebook groups.

“It is necessary to investigate this immediately and seriously so those who take advantage may be held accountable as soon as possible. This heinous act must be stopped, and those behind it must be given a lesson,” the lawmaker stressed.

NKTI executive director Rose Liquete earlier confirmed that Ligaya is their staff but denied that he is part of the transplant unit.

Liquete said Ligaya “could not do the operations himself because he is not a surgeon.”

“His work also does not give him access to organ donors and recipients since the unit he works with is involved in serving patients needing minor surgical, urological, and endoscopic procedures, and not transplant procedures.”

Nevertheless, she said that the state-run hospital would turn over Ligaya to the authorities if warranted.

Human trafficking of organs is a severe crime in the Philippines. Any person found to be involved in these illegal acts may be imprisoned for up to 20 years and pay a fine of up to P2 million.