EDITORIAL - Angels of Death

With Apollo Quiboloy in police custody on charges of qualified human trafficking and sexual abuse, a summit was held in Makati yesterday on Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children. The Philippines has gained notoriety for being a global hot spot not just for OSAEC but also for direct sexual assault and trafficking of children.

President Marcos, the keynote speaker at the summit, was moved to tears by the narration of a woman’s OSAEC ordeal. He expressed a “deep sense of shame that we have not done enough for the Philippines to now be considered the epicenter” of OSAEC. The President noted the “appalling statistic” that about half a million Filipinos have become OSAEC victims.

Poverty has long been a driver of the flesh trade. But there are many poorer countries whose citizens also have some degree of proficiency in English – a factor that is said to facilitate online child sexual abuse. So why is the Philippines the one that is considered the global epicenter of OSAEC?

The country already has several laws in place to fight various forms of child abuse and exploitation, including Republic Act 11930, which specifically targets OSAEC and child sexual abuse and exploitation materials. Yet an enabling environment for child sexual abuse has remained in place in this country, facilitated by weak government response. Impoverished parents themselves peddle their children for sex, both online and in person. And there are adults who exploit people’s needs to indulge their inner pervert and prey on children.

If the indictments are accurate, Quiboloy sexually assaulted women and girls as young as 11 and 12 belonging to his Kingdom of Jesus Christ ministry. Since his arrest and detention, KOJC members have started coming out to narrate the sexual abuse allegedly committed by Quiboloy, with “angels of death” used to compel submission by his victims.

Yesterday, the Philippine National Police said the KOJC “angels of death” are real people, consisting mostly of Army reservists and militiamen who allegedly terrorize members into submitting to anything demanded by their pastor and other elders. The government is urging other victims to come out, reassuring them of protection as they pursue justice and help put an end to the abuse.