Philippine Parents Sell 12-Day-Old Baby To Start Street Food Business; Face 20 Years In Prison

A young couple in the Philippines are facing up to 20 years in prison after allegedly attempting to sell their 12-day-old baby to raise money for a street food business, according to The Metro

The mother, aged 22, and the father, aged 19, are accused of advertising the infant for sale online. Authorities said the pair were caught during a police sting operation at a busy shopping mall on 2 February.

Undercover officers posed as buyers and arranged to purchase the baby for 27500 Philippine Pesos (Rs 43113). After confirming the details of the transaction, officers from the Philippine National Police Women and Children Protection Centre moved in and arrested the couple at a local fast food outlet inside the mall, as per the The Metro.

Police said the suspects were taken into custody on suspicion of human trafficking and child abuse. Reports state that the mother broke down in tears and admitted to the planned sale before she was placed in handcuffs.

If convicted of human trafficking, the couple could face up to 20 years in prison. In more serious circumstances, the sentence could extend to life imprisonment.

Janella Ejercito Estrada, Undersecretary of the National Authority for Child Care (NACC), said: "They are facing charges of qualified trafficking, child abuse, and illegal adoption. For the qualified trafficking case, it is non-bailable, and they may be sentenced to 20 years in jail or life imprisonment."

Investigators said the parents planned to use the money as start-up capital for a street food cart, selling popular snacks like deep-fried quail eggs and fish balls. The rescued baby was given a check-up and transferred to an accredited child care agency, officials said.

The NACC said in a statement: "The life of a child is invaluable and must never be used as a commodity, and certainly not be exchanged for any amount, regardless of the circumstances."

The Women and Children Protection Centre (WCPC) of the national police said five babies have already been rescued from being sold this year, more than half the total recorded in 2025.