Youngling rescued from ‘online baby selling’ modus

A one-month-old baby, allegedly sold for P90,000 via Facebook, was rescued this week during an entrapment operation conducted by the Philippine National Police-Women and Child Protection Center (PNP-WCPC) Luzon Field Unit.

National Authority for Child Care (NACC) Undersecretary Janella Ejercito Estrada, who participated in the covert operation last 3 July 2025, in Pasay City, condemned the continued sale of infants despite government warnings.

“To sell a child for monetary relief is an immoral, irresponsible and selfish act,” Estrada said.

“A parent who thinks s/he is incapable of raising a child may easily seek support from the barangay women’s desk, or the Local Social Welfare and Development Office. Let’s not profit from and endanger children,” she added.

Estrada cited that to date, the PNP-WCPC has successfully rescued 11 children, arrested 16 perpetrators and secured one conviction related to such cases.

As of 16 June, at least 12 Facebook groups with approximately 200,000 followers were reportedly actively facilitating “online baby selling.”

“I appeal to Meta PH to help us stop the proliferation of Facebook groups facilitating ‘online baby selling’ and other forms of illegal adoption,” Estrada stressed, calling it a “moral obligation” for the social networking platform operating in the Philippines.

Meanwhile, the NACC convened its Inter-Agency on Adoption and Alternative Child Care last 4 July to “forge a coordinated, legal, and systemic response against illicit practices of illegal adoption including ‘online baby selling.’”

In a statement, Estrada urged member-agencies to “confront one of the most disturbing and fast-evolving threats to child welfare.”

“Children are being commodified on social media platforms. What was once hidden is now disturbingly compromising a child’s rights to identity, safety and a family,” said Estrada.

Meantime, NACC assistant secretary for Operations and Services Rowena M. Macalintal requested the Department of Justice for access to biological parents who have been incarcerated.

This access would allow the agency to begin the process of finding suitable alternative child care for rescued children.

Participating agencies in the inter-agency meeting included the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, PNP WCPC, PNP Women and Children Cybercrime Protection Unit, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Information and Communications Technology-Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center, DoJ and the Philippine Statistics Authority.