A couple in Cebu City was arrested for allegedly selling their 2-week-old baby for P57,000 after one of their children unknowingly exposed the crime by mentioning a new cellphone.
A concerned citizen reported to barangay officials that the couple’s child was overheard saying their mother had sold their sibling. The child also mentioned receiving a new cellphone, raising suspicions.
Barangay officials, led by Gender and Development Focal Person Catalina Abella, along with the Department of Social Welfare and Services (DSWS) and the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) of Police Station 11, investigated. However, when they arrived at the couple’s home, the baby was already gone.
Authorities later found that the infant was handed over to the buyer at a public hospital. Of the P57,000 transaction, the mother allegedly received P30,000.
The baby was rescued in an undisclosed location in Cebu City and is now under the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Regional Office.
According to Alyas Ella, the couple’s landlord, financial struggles may have led to the sale, but she denied any involvement of illegal substances.
The arrested parents are now facing possible human trafficking charges as the investigation continues.
