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THE rampant illegal trade of human organs has prompted Justice
Secretary Raul Gonzalez to offer his department’s legal expertise
in drafting the much-needed guidelines that will govern organ
donations in the country.
“The Justice department is willing to assist
the Department of Health in making and implementing rules on organ
donations in the country,” Gonzales said. The Health department
had admitted the widespread problem and vowed to set guidelines to
stop to the illegal practice.
“The commercialization of what used to be a
very noble act makes the practice of selling internal organs
immoral,” Gonzalez added.
The removal and sale of kidneys is a criminal
act punishable by at least 20 years of imprisonment and a fine.
Persons who profited or knowingly participated in such a transaction
will also be held liable.
“Selling kidneys should be declared illegal
while parameters should be drafted involving donations,” Gonzales
said. “In the US, human organs are only transplanted or donated
provided that the donor is already deceased.”
The country’s law on organ trade seems
toothless at this point. Reports have it that a big percentage of
those who sold their kidneys were extremely poor and came from
depressed areas, like the Baseco compound in Tondo, Manila. It is
estimated that some 3,000 of Baseco’s 50,000 residents have sold
their kidneys to foreigners and rich Filipinos.
Poor Filipinos reportedly sold their kidneys
from a low of P20,000 to as much as P150,000, an amount by
international standard is too cheap, which is the reason why
foreigners who suffer from renal failure usually look for donors in
the Philippines.
More than 400 kidney transplants from local
donors to foreign recipients were performed between 2000 and 2005.
-- William B. Depasupil
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