DOH warns against illegal organ selling, Rep Lee files bill

The Department of Health (DOH) reminded the public that organ selling is human trafficking during a forum on Wednesday.

Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo stressed at the National Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Day event that voluntary organ donation is acceptable but selling organs, such as kidneys for up to P200,000, remains illegal and harmful.

AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee filed House Bill 1803 on Thursday, urging a crackdown on the clandestine trade of human organs and strict enforcement of existing laws following the arrest of three individuals in Bulacan earlier this week.

Lee highlighted that medical practitioners are allegedly involved in targeting poor Filipinos for illicit organ sales, which violates the Organ Donation Act of 1991 and the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified the Philippines as one of the global hotspots for organ trafficking alongside India, Pakistan, China, Egypt, and Colombia.