MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines expressed his appreciation to the king of Cambodia on Tuesday for the royal pardon extended to 13 Filipino women last year. These women had been convicted for their involvement in illegal surrogacy practices within the Southeast Asian nation.
During a meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who was in Manila to discuss ways to enhance trade, agriculture, tourism, culture, and security collaborations, Marcos specifically highlighted the significance of this act.
Both the Philippines and Cambodia are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional organization that encourages economic cooperation yet faces divisions over foreign policies, particularly regarding ties with the United States and China. Marcos has sought to reinforce the Philippines’ alliance with the United States to strengthen its defense capabilities amid rising tensions with China in the contested South China Sea, while Cambodia has remained a steadfast ally of Beijing.
The group of 13 Filipino women had been sentenced in December by a Cambodian court to four years in prison on charges linked to human trafficking for their roles as surrogates in a ring that involved selling babies to foreign clients. Despite facing these sentences, the women were later pardoned and returned to the Philippines due to the intervention of King Norodom Sihamoni.
“This act of kindness from His Majesty embodies the enduring bond between our two nations,” said Marcos during a private discussion with Hun Manet and his team in Manila.
He further expressed the Philippines’ commitment to collaborating with Cambodia in tackling transnational crimes that have detrimental impacts on both their societies and communities.
The women were charged under Cambodian legislation that prohibits human trafficking and sexual exploitation, which was amended in 2016 to ban commercial surrogacy entirely. Over the past few years, Cambodia has gained notoriety as a preferred location for foreigners seeking surrogates, but it has also faced criticism for its human trafficking issues, particularly those tied to online scams. Foreigners have often been lured into exploitative situations, sometimes described as virtual slavery, where they are coerced into engaging in criminal activities that target unsuspecting individuals abroad.
Following the discussions between Marcos and Hun Manet, several agreements were made with the primary intention of enhancing trade, fostering investment, boosting tourism, and advancing agricultural cooperation. Notably, one of the agreements focuses on preventing the illicit trafficking and looting of cultural heritage artifacts, promoting a shared interest in protecting each nation’s cultural treasures.
