Couple Faces Decades in Prison for Attempted Sale of Infant to Fund Business Venture
A young couple in the Philippines is confronting the possibility of spending twenty years behind bars after authorities discovered their shocking plan to sell their newborn daughter. The mother, aged 22, and father, aged 19, allegedly attempted to sell their twelve-day-old infant to raise capital for starting a street food business.
Sting Operation at Shopping Mall Leads to Dramatic Arrest
According to police reports, the parents listed the baby for sale on an online platform. This led to a carefully orchestrated sting operation on February 2nd at a bustling shopping mall. Undercover agents from the Philippine National Police's Women and Children Protection Centre posed as potential buyers and arranged to meet the couple, agreeing on a price of approximately £345 for the infant.
Officers monitored the pair as they ate at a local fast-food restaurant before moving in to make the arrest. The mother was reportedly overcome with emotion, bursting into tears as she confirmed the illegal transaction before being handcuffed. Both individuals were taken into custody on suspicion of severe charges including human trafficking and child abuse.
Severe Legal Consequences and Official Condemnation
Janella Ejercito Estrada, the Undersecretary of the National Authority for Child Care, provided details on the charges. "They are facing charges of qualified trafficking, child abuse, and illegal adoption," Estrada stated. "For the qualified trafficking case, it is non-bailable, and they may be sentenced to 20 years in jail or life imprisonment."
The NACC released a strong statement condemning the act: "The life of a child is invaluable and must never be used as a commodity, and certainly not be exchanged for any amount, regardless of the circumstances."
Business Motive and Broader Social Issues
Investigators revealed the couple's motive was to use the money as start-up capital for a street food cart. They planned to sell popular local snacks such as deep-fried quail eggs and fish balls. Following the rescue, the infant received a medical check-up and was transferred to an accredited child care agency for protection and care.
This case highlights a disturbing trend in the country. The Women and Children Protection Centre reported that five babies have already been rescued from attempted sales this year, a figure that surpasses more than half the total recorded for the entire previous year. In response to what they describe as "rampant" baby selling, information campaigns about legal adoption processes are being intensified in vulnerable communities.
The incident also sheds light on deeper social challenges in the Philippines, including widespread poverty, inadequate family planning resources, and limited sex education. These factors often contribute to high rates of unwanted pregnancies. Access to contraception and reproductive healthcare remains restricted in the predominantly Catholic nation, where baby abandonment continues to be a common and tragic occurrence.
