DOJ files raps vs Nigerian, Pinay in sale of baby for e-sabong debt (Sabong News)
Author
Joel R. San Juan
Date
MARCH 29 2022
THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has ordered the indictment of a Nigerian national and his Filipina live-in partner for child trafficking for buying an eight-month baby sold by her own mother for P45,000 to pay debts she incurred from engaging in “e-sabong” or online cockfighting.
The respondents were identified by the DOJ’s Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG) as Nigerian national Ifeanyi Bright Okoro, also known as “Maxwell Bright,” and his live-in partner Imelda P. Malibiran.
The couple faces charges of child trafficking under Republic Act No. 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, and for kidnapping and failure to return a minor under Article 270 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC).
The baby’s mother, identified as Rosemarie Gutierrez and a certain Kristine Joyce Esdrelon, who allegedly acted as middleman, have yet to face preliminary investigation since they are still-at-large.
The DOJ’s preliminary investigation on Gutierrez and Esdrelon is set on April 11. Okoro and Malibiran were arrested last March 22 by operatives of the NBI’s Anti-Human Trafficking Division (NBI-AHTRAD) in Sta. Cruz, Laguna after the parents of the baby sought assistance from authorities to recover their child.
Rosemarie reportedly regretted her decision to sell her baby.
The baby was rescued from the couple during the operation.
The NBI earlier said the rescue was made in response “to the appeal of the parents who sought the assistance of the NBI in locating their baby.”After the rescue operation, the NBI presented Okoro and Malibiran for inquest before the DOJ and included Gutierrez and Esdrelon as co-respondents in the complaints.
Based on evidence submitted by the NBI, the “Miracle Baby” was sold last March 3, 2022 by the mother to a person she met through Facebook.
“The transaction happened in Quezon City, where the respondent-mother received money in exchange for the baby in the amount of P45,000,” the OPG said.
However, the baby’s father, who was keen on recovering his baby, immediately coordinated with operatives to backtrack the incidents through CCTV footages.
The backtracking through CCTV was supported by the narration of Rolando Rubia, the taxi driver who picked up the respondent-mother in Quezon City right after the sale of the baby.
“While on board the taxi, Rubia claimed that respondent-mother admitted to him that she sold her baby but was already having a change of heart,” the OPG said.
