A woman rescued from a sex-trafficking operation in a shelter in Tacloban City. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Many of the girls rescued from sex-trafficking organizations are taken to womens shelters similar to this one in Tacloban city.  Many teen-age girls rescued from sex-trafficking groups fall victim to unplanned pregnancies. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

YOLANDA REPORT

Agence France-Presse

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/173322263834320161022-tacloban-yolanda-report-59.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A woman rescued from a sex-trafficking operation in a shelter in Tacloban City. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A woman rescued from a sex-trafficking operation in a shelter in Tacloban City. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span>PHNOM PENH, Cambodia -- A Cambodian court has sentenced 13 pregnant Filipino women to four years in jail for acting as surrogate mothers, in the latest crackdown on the outlawed practice.</div><p>The 13 were among 24 foreign women detained by Cambodian police in Kandal province in September and charged with attempted cross-border human trafficking, according to a statement from the Kandal court.</p><p>Following a trial, the court on Monday sentenced the 13 to &quot;four years in prison&quot;, although two years of the sentence would be suspended, the statement said.</p><p>The court said it had strong evidence showing that the 13 &quot;have the intention... to have babies to sell to a third person in exchange for money, which is an act of human trafficking&quot;.</p><p>The court statement did not give details on what would happen to the babies of the 13 when they were born.</p><p>A Cambodian woman, who cooked meals for the Filipino women, was also jailed for two months and one day for being an accomplice, the court said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/14/ph-gov-t-insists-pinay-surrogates-in-cambodia-are-victims-amid-possible-criminal-liability-1425">READ: PH gov’t insists Pinay surrogates in Cambodia are victims amid possible criminal liability</a></div><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/10/11/senate-probe-sought-into-surrogacy-scheme-victimizing-filipinas-918">READ: Senate probe sought into &#x27;surrogacy scheme&#x27; victimizing Filipinas</a></div><p>Seven other Filipino and four Vietnamese women, who were not pregnant, have been deported from Cambodia, Chou Bun Eng, vice-chair of Cambodia&#x27;s National Committee for Counter Trafficking, told AFP on Tuesday.</p><p>In 2016, Cambodia issued a snap ban on commercial surrogacy after neighboring Thailand pulled the plug on the trade the previous year -- putting an abrupt end to a thriving industry for hopeful parents, many from Australia and the United States.</p><p>But demand for commercial surrogacy remains high after China eased its one-child policy and agencies in Cambodia continue to offer the service.</p><p>Sources in the kingdom have previously told AFP that couples -- mostly from China -- are willing to pay between $40,000 to $100,000 to surrogacy agents to find a Cambodian woman who can carry their child.</p><p>In 2018, an Australian nurse who ran a surrogacy clinic was jailed for 18 months in Cambodia.</p><p>Dozens of Cambodian women paid to carry babies for Chinese clients were also arrested in recent years but they were released on bail after agreeing to keep the children.</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div>

<p>A Cambodian court has sentenced 13 pregnant Filipino women to four years in jail for acting as surrogate mothers, in the latest crackdown on the outlawed practice.</p>

A Cambodian court has sentenced 13 pregnant Filipino women to four years in jail for acting as surrogate mothers, in the latest crackdown on the outlawed practice.

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Cambodian court jails 13 pregnant Filipino surrogates

Cambodian court jails 13 pregnant Filipino surrogates

Agence France-Presse

Published Dec 03, 2024 06:52 PM PHT

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