The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) expressed alarm yesterday over the continued incidence of human trafficking in the country following the discovery of nine babies in the house of a former mayor in Rizal.
“The DSWD condemns all forms of human trafficking and we will cooperate with law enforcement and other government agencies in combating this evil,” Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza Cabral said in a statement.
Law enforcers trying to arrest former Jala-Jala, Rizal mayor Voltaire Gellido for alleged large-scale estafa stumbled upon nine babies suspiciously being kept inside his house shortly before midnight Monday.
According to Cabral, the house is being rented by a Singaporean national, a certain Low Ai Lian Irene, who is suspected to be an alleged member of a syndicate selling babies in Singapore.
“While an investigation is being conducted, the DSWD assures the public that it will exert maximum efforts to protect the babies. Diligent efforts will be made to locate (their) parents,” she said.
“We reiterate a very strong warning to all those who engage or plan to engage in human trafficking. We at the DSWD (warns) everybody that they will be dealt with accordingly, with the full force of the law,” she added.