Man charged for selling minors’ sex content online

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed charges of qualified trafficking against a man for allegedly selling online explicit sexual content of three Filipino minors to foreigners.

The DOJ task force on women and children and against trafficking in persons found probable cause to indict Jhon Patrick Carmona for violating Republic Act 9208, othewise known as the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

No bail was recommended for Carmona’s temporary liberty.

The suspect was arrested in an entrapment operation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Laguna on May 16.

According to the DOJ, the NBI acted on information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which found out that Carmona used an account on X “to market young boys to foreigners.”

Authorities said Carmona asked for money in exchange for lewd pictures and videos of young boys through the messaging application Telegram.

Carmona asked the victims for a meet-up, during which he offered the boys for sex to a foreigner who posed as a client, the DOJ said.

NBI operatives rescued the victims during the entrapment operation.

“Carmona violated the anti-trafficking in persons law since he offered the sexual services of the victims to a foreigner for a fee,” the DOJ resolution read.

Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla vowed to be relentless in the campaign against human traffickers, especially those who prey on minors.

“We will never stop nor slow down in the campaign against human traffickers until every single one of them falls in the hands of justice,” Remulla said.