Suspected surrogacy recruiter nabbed

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) recently arrested a woman at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport who was allegedly involved in a scheme that illegally sends Filipinas abroad to become surrogate mothers.

The woman, identified as Freezle Rose Balondo, was intercepted along with three other Filipinas by immigration officers before they could board a flight to Thailand.

The NBI said Balondo was arrested on charges of trafficking in persons under Republic Act 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, as amended by RA 10364 and RA 11862.

The suspect was presented for inquest before the Office of the City Prosecutor in Pasay City.

Balondo’s three companions initially claimed during immigration inspection that they were a group of friends on a six-day tour of Bangkok, Thailand, and that they were employed as customer service representatives at TTEC.

The NBI said the women were referred for secondary inspection due to inconsistencies in their statements, as well as their inability to establish their relationship with one another and their questionable purpose of travel.

During investigation, two of the women admitted they were not TTEC employees but were traveling to Thailand to become surrogate mothers through in vitro fertilization for a fee of $8,000 to $10,000.

“Their co-passenger, Freezle Rose Balondo y Ricanor, provided their employment documents for their departure,” the NBI said.

An investigation into the surrogacy scheme was initiated by the Department of Justice after 20 Filipinas, 13 of them pregnant, were rescued in Cambodia from a syndicate involved in recruiting foreign women to become surrogate mothers, despite surrogacy being illegal in that country.