PBBM thanks Cambodia for royal pardon of 13 Filipino surrogates

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. (PCO file photo)

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday expressed gratitude to Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni for granting royal pardon to 13 Filipino women convicted in Cambodia for illegal surrogacy.

During his bilateral meeting with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Hun Manet at Malacañan Palace in Manila, Marcos expressed elation that the Filipino surrogates were able to return home following the grant of royal pardon.

“We will never forget this act of magnanimity from His Majesty, a testament to the strong relations between our two countries,” Marcos said.

“Rest assured we will continue to stand with you in the fight against transnational crimes and their adverse effects on our peoples and on our communities,” he added.

The pardon, granted on Dec. 26, 2024, was secured following a request from the Philippine Embassy and the endorsement of the Cambodian government.

The pardoned Filipino women were tried and convicted under Cambodia’s 2008 Law on the Suppression of Human Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation for participating in a surrogacy scheme.

Surrogacy has been illegal in Cambodia since 2016 and violations are considered felonies.

In a joint statement after his bilateral meeting with Hun Manet, Marcos also thanked the Cambodian government for ensuring the pardoned Filipino surrogates’ safety and well-being.

Marcos said the Philippines is also ready to welcome more Cambodians to the Philippines as “tourists, investors, business partners, and trusted friends.”