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Thirteen Filipino women convicted of surrogacy have returned to the Philippines from Cambodia after being granted royal pardon, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Sunday.

In a statement, the DFA said the women with three babies arrived at 4:50 am at NAIA Terminal 1 with a Cambodian doctor and a Filipino nurse

The 13 were convicted by a Cambodian court on December 2 for violating the law on the Suppression of Human Trafficking. They were among 24 women of different countries caught in Kandal province in September. They were meted out a four year jail term

The Filipinas were granted royal pardon after a request by the Philippine Embassy in Phnom Penh which was endorsed by the Royal Government of Cambodia

“The Philippine Government thanks the Royal Government of Cambodia headed by Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei Prime Minister Hun Manet for the humanitarian treatment extended to the Filipino mothers throughout investigative and judicial processes,” the DFA said.

Assistant Social Welfare and Development Secretary Irene Dumlao said the department is preparing a center and residential care facilities for the 13 Filipinas and three babies,

''The Department of Social Welfare and Development will help them communicate with their families for their reintegration. The respective families of the surrogate mothers will be assessed for the provision of necessary services and intervention,'' said Elaine Fallarcuna, Assistant Secretary for International Affairs, Attached and Supervised Agencies. DMS-Jaspearl Tan