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