Thirteen pregnant Philippine women accused of illegally acting as surrogate mothers in Cambodia after being recruited online may face prison terms after they give birth, a senior Interior Ministry official said Saturday.

The Philippine Embassy is appealing to the Cambodian government not to file charges against the Filipino women who were trafficked into becoming surrogate mothers there, Justice Undersecretary Nicky Ty said Monday.

Cambodia uncovered an illegal surrogacy ring, arresting 24 women, including 13 pregnant Filipinos, despite a 2016 ban.

Candidates for surrogacy share a meal together inside a transition house. Fernando G. Sepe Jr., ABS-CBN News/File MANILA — The Philippine government insisted that the Filipinas involved in a surrogacy scheme in Cambodia were trafficking victims despite their possible criminal liability in the Southeast Asian country.