Cambodia Pardons and Repatriates Filipino Surrogates

Cambodia has pardoned and repatriated 13 Philippine women who were convicted of attempting to become surrogate mothers, a practice banned in Cambodia, and sentenced for human trafficking. These women, among 24 detained foreign nationals, were handed a four-year prison term on December 2nd for trying to engage in cross-border human trafficking. The royal pardon, granted by Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni, allowed these women and their three babies to return to Manila, where they were received by the Philippine government and taken to a shelter for trafficking victims. Ten of the women are still pregnant, highlighting the ongoing demand for surrogacy services in regions like China, despite the legal risks involved. The Philippine government has expressed gratitude towards Cambodia for the humanitarian gesture and warned its citizens against engaging in surrogacy, which remains illegal in Cambodia. This case underscores the complexities and dangers surrounding surrogacy in Southeast Asia, where legal frameworks are often ambiguous.