PNP: Cases of baby-selling online rising

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

February 10, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday expressed alarm over the rising cases of baby-selling following a series of anti-trafficking operations that led to the rescue of six children and arrest of seven suspects from Feb. 2 to 4.

Brig. Gen. Maria Sheila Portento, director of the police Women and Children Protection Center, said some cases involved middlemen rather than biological mothers, raising fears that infants may be resold.

“What’s alarming is that the seller is sometimes not the mother. That raises the question of the purpose of reselling the child,” Portento said.

She noted that most buyers monitored by police appeared to be locals, as smuggling children abroad is more difficult.

In one case, police said a baby just two days old was rescued while some transactions were negotiated even before birth.

Portento said traffickers use social media platforms resembling online marketplaces to advertise infants and to look for buyers, prompting police to coordinate with platforms for content takedown.

The PNP continues to investigate online transactions, including those hosted overseas, while legal officers study ways to hold digital platforms accountable.

Authorities are still determining whether organized crime rings are involved in the illegal activity, although those arrested appeared to be acting individually.

Violations may include the Anti-Child Abuse Law and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, which hold sellers, buyers, middlemen and end users liable.

Portento urged prospective adoptive parents to pursue legal adoption through the National Authority for Child Care, noting that the process is now administrative and easier than before.

Portento also called on parents unable to care for their children to consider lawful adoption channels, stressing that many children in shelters are waiting for families.

Police monitoring showed a recent spike in operations, with six conducted early this month alone.

Some infants were allegedly sold for as low as P10,000, cheaper than the price of puppies, according to Portento.