CHR Demands Action to Stop Online Child Selling
MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has urgently called on the government to crack down on online child selling. This appeal comes after the CHR documented several alarming cases involving the online sale of children.
“CHR calls on the government to strengthen monitoring and regulation of online platforms against child selling, enhance surveillance and investigative capabilities, and ensure the swift prosecution and conviction of perpetrators,” the commission stressed. “No child should ever be bought, sold, or treated as a commodity.”
Legal Framework Against Child Selling
The CHR emphasized that online child selling qualifies as child trafficking under existing laws. It cited Republic Act 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, as well as RA 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.
Furthermore, the commission referred to Article 35 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which requires all state parties to prevent the abduction, sale, and trafficking of children.
Importance of Legal Adoption Procedures
To protect children properly, the CHR highlighted the need for lawful adoption procedures. “Legal adoption safeguards the rights and welfare of the child. It is imperative that prospective adoptive parents follow lawful procedures,” the commission added, pointing to RA 11642, the Domestic Administrative Adoption and Alternative Child Care Act.
Recent Rescue Highlights Urgency
The CHR’s appeal follows a recent incident where the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Center rescued a month-old baby in Pasay City on July 3. The infant was reportedly being sold for ₱90,000.
Local authorities monitoring online activities confirmed the existence of at least 12 online child-selling groups on social media, with an estimated 200,000 members as of June. This widespread network shows the urgent need for intensified government action.
With the rise of online platforms facilitating such heinous crimes, experts and human rights advocates urge more robust surveillance and prosecution efforts to protect children from exploitation and trafficking.
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