Parents warned against peddling children into cybersex

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The government warned today parents not to push their children into cybersex as a pedophile ring was broken up in an international joint operation earlier this week, saying the authorities will go after them.

"A reminder to parents: they can be prosecuted from doing that," Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said in an interview on a state-run radio station.

Lacierda issued the warning after authorities from the United Kingdom, United States and Australia reportedly busted an international pedophile group, which has been streaming live scenes of child abuse over the Internet.

The criminal group allegedly sexually abused the children from the poor areas of the Philippines with the consent of their parents in exchange of some amount of money through the Internet.

Lacierda said that it was "not acceptable" that parents rear their children to be a source of such income instead of shaping them to become upright citizens.

He also said that the government agencies concerned are expected to work closely together against cybersex, including coordinating with tourist establishments.

Lacierda explained that the tourism industry is a concern for the government because it has to protect minors while avoiding a negative connotation to the Philippine Department of Tourism's (DOT) slogan that "it's more fun in the Philippines."

"The emphasis of DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez on 'it's more fun in the Philippines,' it's fun in a positive way ... We don't want to be identified as a haven where tourists can engage in activities that are ... illegal and will affect our minors," he said.