A congressional inquiry has been sought over the alleged illegal sale of kidneys in the country, which is described by a lawmaker as “human bopis for sale.”
Agri party-list lawmaker Wilbert Lee made the call under his House Resolution 1803, saying such a scheme targets poor Filipinos and violates the Organ Donation Act of 1991 and Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.
“Many kidney donors, particularly those from vulnerable communities such as slums, are often unaware of the risks and side effects of the operation. Sinasamantala ng mga ganitong modus ang mahihirap nating kababayan,” Lee said in a statement.
(These syndicates take advantage of the desperation of the poor to be donors since these people are struggling to make ends meet.)
“Ang nakakabahala dito, may mga sangkot pa umanong doktor at nurse–sila na pinagkakatiwalaan ng ating mga kababayan, pero sila pa palang nagtutulak lalo sa kanila sa kumunoy ng kapahamakan,” he added.
(What is more alarming is that doctors and nurses are involved here when patients put so much trust in them. These professionals instead put people at risk.)
Just two days ago, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) arrested three individuals in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan for being involved in an alleged organ trafficking syndicate.
The suspects identified National Kidney Transplant Institute (NKTI) staff nurse Allan Ligaya as the alleged leader of the illegal organ trade, who remains at large, while three doctors were also summoned by the NBI for participating in the blood matching of donors.
NKTI said Ligaya denied the allegations against him.
There were reportedly nine alleged victims who were lured with a payment of P200,000 in exchange for their kidneys and were held in a house and subjected to various processes before their kidneys were eventually transferred.
“This may only be the tip of the iceberg. Based on our team’s research, you can easily search for Facebook groups openly engaged in illegal organ trade,” Lee said.
“We need to investigate this as soon as possible to hold those perpetrators accountable. Filipinos deserve better, and we should demand better. Hindi totoong natutulungan ang mga nangangailangan kung kikita sila kapalit ang kanilang kalusugan, o mismong ang kanilang buhay,” Lee added.
(We cannot help those in need if they are going to earn money in exchange for their health, if not their life.) —VAL, GMA Integrated News
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