Magpale mulls cash reward for tipsters

CEBU, Philippines - Vice Governor Agnes Magpale is now thinking of giving a reward to tipsters who can lead to the arrest of operators of cyberpornography dens, which have been victimizing minors.

 “Mangita pa ko’g kwarta. But usually among tipster, they prefer to remain anonymous,” said Magpale when asked if the Capitol will reward the tipsters especially that the illegal trade is spreading in the province.

 “Ang mga tawo, isog na kaayong mosumbong. I get tips and we send our surveillance team and ma-confirm nila,” she added.

 Just very recently the Regional Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force filed a criminal complaint before the prosecutor’s office against a teacher in Compostela National High School for allegedly pimping four minor girls to a foreigner.

Magpale said the case is now in the Provincial Board Committee on Women and Children, and that her technical working group is set to visit Compostela next week to do more investigation.

 The vice governor, who is active in the fight against trafficking of women and children, said that while they are focusing Cordova town, which has been a hub for cybersex dens, there are reports that there are also private houses in some towns of Cebu which have similar illegal activities.

 In Badian, a woman reported to Magpale that she is also into it and that she was forced to come out in the open for her help after her “pimp” had pocketed the money that was supposedly hers. Magpale said from the report of the complainant, they found out that there were two more victims in the said town.

 “Di sila destitute. It’s want of money, big amount (that made them do it),” she said of the adults who were said to be performing cybersex to their foreign clients.

Although they will still be helping these adult women, Magpale said their top concern are still the young children.  (FREEMAN)