Phnom Penh (FN), Feb. 12 – Cambodian Delegate Minister in charge of ASEAN Affairs So Naro said that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed his gratitude to Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni for granting a royal pardon to 13 Filipino women imprisoned in connection with a surrogacy case in December 2024.

Delegate Minister So Naro spoke on Tuesday (Feb. 11) at a press conference on the outcomes of Samdech Thipadei’s official visit to the Philippines.

“The President of the Philippines also expressed his gratitude to the King for granting a royal pardon to 13 Filipino women who were imprisoned in a surrogacy case in December 2024,” Minister So Naro.

Notably, 20 Filipino women who had been trafficked into Cambodia for surrogacy were rescued and repatriated to the Philippines. Philippine authorities stated that they are working closely with Cambodian officials to track down and prosecute the perpetrators in accordance with the law.

The 20 women, who had been illegally engaged in surrogacy, were rescued by Cambodian police in Kandal province on 23 September. According to the Philippine Embassy, the women had been deceived by unknown individuals online, trafficked through various Southeast Asian countries, and ultimately brought to Cambodia, where surrogacy is prohibited by law.
=FRESH NEWS