Police quiz orphanage owner

Police quiz orphanage owner

JAKARTA: The Jakarta Police questioned on Friday the owner of
Pancaran Kasih Foundation, which runs two orphanages, for
allegedly facilitating the illegal adoption of babies by
foreigners.

"We started questioning Sri Mandagi late on Thursday. We
haven't finished taking her statement," chief of detectives, Sr.
Comr. Mathius Salempang said on Friday afternoon.

The case surfaced when an American who wanted to adopt a baby
from Pancaran Kasih Foundation found out that the baby had been
flown to Singapore to be adopted by another couple.

Lengthy procedures are usually involved in legal adoptions,
prompting some orphanages to cut the red tape by offering illegal
adoptions.

The foreigner informed an employee of Sayap Ibu Foundation,
the city's official partner in providing adoptions, who suspected
baby-trafficking.

"From the interrogation, we found that the foundation has not
complied with required procedures in adoptions," Salempang said.
-- JP