Tingog party-list Rep. Yedda Marie Romualdez on Sunday commended Immigration personnel who aborted an attempt of an American woman to smuggle a six-day old boy concealed inside her sling bag at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport last week.
Romualdez, House committee on the welfare of children chairperson, urged colleagues to back effort that would impose stiffer penalties on human trafficking, particularly child smuggling.
“Let me commend our airport authorities, especially the alert Immigration officers, for a job well-done. Their dedication to duty paid off and led to the arrest of a foreigner engaged in child smuggling,” she said.
“I cannot understand how a woman, a mother of five, could stuff a week-old child in a hand-carried luggage. Such cruelty is beyond comprehension,” she added.
She said she would discuss with her committee members the possibility of amending existing laws on human trafficking in a bid to increase the penalty for child trafficking.
“I am in favor of imposing stiffer penalties against child smuggling. I am optimistic that my colleagues in Congress will extend their full support to such initiative,” she stressed.
“A child is a blessing that needs to be protected and nurtured. Anyone who endangers the safety of the child deserves to be locked up behind bars,” the party-list lawmakers said.