A mother and her accomplices were sentenced to life imprisonment for selling her eight-month-old baby to settle e-sabong debts in 2022.
A Quezon City court has handed down a life sentence to a mother and three accomplices for selling her eight-month-old baby to settle e-sabong debts in 2022. The conviction, which highlights the National Bureau of Investigation's (NBI) crackdown on human trafficking, was announced on December 18, 2024.
The Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 86 found the four individuals guilty beyond reasonable doubt of qualified trafficking in persons. Along with the life imprisonment sentence, the court ordered each convict to pay a fine of P2 million. The ruling, according to the NBI, underscores the agency’s commitment to combating human trafficking in the Philippines.
“[T]he judgment rendered by the Regional Trial Court Branch 86 in Quezon City against all accused is a living testament of the resolute effort of the NBI to eradicate human trafficking in the country,” the NBI said in its statement.
NBI Director Jaime Santiago expressed hope that the decision serves as a stern warning to individuals involved in crimes such as human trafficking and sexual exploitation, particularly those targeting women and children.
The investigation revealed that the mother had resorted to selling her baby through an organized group. Desperate for funds to cover her debts from online cockfighting, commonly known as e-sabong, she made contact with the buyer, who later turned out to be the middleman. The transaction took place on March 3, 2022, at a fast food chain in Quezon City.
However, the mother experienced a change of heart after the deal. She reportedly reached out to the buyer via text messages, pleading for the return of her baby and offering to refund the payment. Unfortunately, the buyer blocked her attempts to communicate.
The NBI’s Human Trafficking Division (HTRAD) launched an entrapment and rescue operation following the mother’s appeal. Their efforts culminated in the arrest of a Filipina and a Nigerian national in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. The operation also led to the recovery of the infant.
In May 2022, authorities apprehended the mother and the middleman, completing the arrests of all parties involved in the trafficking scheme.
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