Panayam kay DOJ Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking Usec.-in-charge Nicholas Felix Ty

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Transcript

00:00Thirteen Filipinas have been convicted in Cambodia for being involved in surrogacy.

00:06We are joined by the Department of Justice Undersecretary Nicolas Felix T.

00:12Yousef is in charge of the Interagency Council Against Trafficking.

00:16Yousef, good afternoon.

00:19Good afternoon, Nicolette.

00:21Yousef, before we talk about our countrymen involved in the surrogacy scheme in Cambodia,

00:28please tell us what the government has done regarding their cases.

00:36The government has done a lot for these Filipinas.

00:41If we remember correctly, when they were arrested by the Cambodian law enforcement,

00:47they were released by our embassy in Cambodia.

00:51Our embassy in Cambodia made sure that they are in good health.

00:56They visited the hospital where they were arrested by the Cambodian law enforcement.

01:01We made sure that they have lawyers for their cases.

01:06They were released in good health.

01:10We tried to protect them.

01:13Aside from that, a delegation was sent to visit them.

01:18There were lawyers, NBI agents, etc.

01:23They were sent to visit them.

01:26They were also sent to the DOJ in Cambodia.

01:30They were there to talk about the possible consequences for these women.

01:35Aside from that, we made sure that they are in good health.

01:42Under our law, they are victims of human trafficking.

01:47However, there are other views in Cambodia.

01:49We understood this.

01:51They told us how far our countrymen can help.

01:59Sir, what will happen to the babies that our countrymen will give birth to

02:05who became victims of this surrogacy scheme?

02:08Who will take care of them?

02:13This is one of the issues that our embassy and the Cambodian government are discussing.

02:18We want to make it clear to the Cambodian government

02:21that our position is that these children are Filipinos.

02:25Their mother is the surrogate mother who gave birth to them.

02:29The reason for this is that under our law,

02:32it is clear that if a woman gives birth to a child,

02:39the woman is the mother of the child.

02:42The woman has an affiliation with the child.

02:45For us, they are Filipinos and we want them to go home to the Philippines.

02:53One of our concerns now is what will happen to these children.

03:00For us, we should not forget that even if we consider the surrogate mother

03:08and the surrogate mother, their relationship may be different.

03:11First of all, it is not DNA, it is not blood.

03:15The egg was implanted in the fetus of the woman and it came from other people.

03:23Second, we know that this woman has a plan to sell the children.

03:30Third, this woman may have an influence on the children because of what happened to them.

03:37We need to monitor this and look for alternatives to raise these children.

03:44Adoption is also included in this.

03:48Usec, for the seven Filipinos who are also involved in this issue,

03:52what is the update on the investigation regarding this matter?

03:56Is there a lead for their illegal recruiters?

04:01Before I answer your question,

04:03this is another example of how much the Cambodian government has given us on this issue.

04:09Because the seven Filipinos who were the first to go home,

04:13because they were not pregnant when they were arrested,

04:16they have evidence of committing a criminal offense.

04:18But Cambodia has already told us what to do with them and we took them home.

04:25When they returned to the Philippines,

04:27the government immediately helped them in various ways,

04:31including medical and aid.

04:34But aside from that, they were also talked to by our law enforcement and our prosecutors

04:41to get their story.

04:43From their stories, we identified an agency,

04:48a recruiter here in the Philippines that we are now targeting as a criminal investigation.

04:55So what is the assistance of our government to them?

05:00These are the victims of the surrogacy scheme and this illegal recruitment.

05:08There is a livelihood assistance.

05:10In the DSWT, we have what we call their rehabilitation and reintegration program.

05:18So if they agree, they can join this program

05:22to find other means of livelihood

05:25so that they will not be far from the possible dangers that will happen to them.

05:32Then legal assistance is also included.

05:34If they really agree to help the case, to be a witness in the case,

05:39their assistance as a witness, their security,

05:44and their allowances will also be included in the hearings.

05:49Message to our countrymen about these kinds of issues and situations.

05:57We know that our country has a different view on the victims of human trafficking.

06:04We are very liberal in labeling a Filipino as a victim of human trafficking.

06:11And whenever we consider them a victim, we give them a lot of help.

06:17They will not be responsible for criminal cases.

06:21But because of this incident, we can see that not all countries have the same view.

06:26Other countries have their own priorities.

06:28So we should understand this.

06:30So if we have other countrymen who are tempted to talk about this possibility

06:38of being surrogate mothers for a great cause.

06:41Again, half a million will be recruited here.

06:45I hope that you will think twice.

06:47I hope that you will not do this.

06:49Because what will happen to our poor countrymen will happen to you.

06:54But above all, don't forget that there are more victims in this situation.

06:59And these victims are the children who will suffer from these illegal surrogacy scams.

07:04You can see that we have a problem with what we will do to these children

07:08once we bring them back to the Philippines.

07:11Thank you very much for your time, DOJ Undersecretary Nicolas Felix T.

07:17You second charge of the Interagency Council Against Trafficking.

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