Another NBI operation in Cordova: Couple arrested for online porn

CEBU, Philippines - Because of poverty, a 31-year-old woman in Cordova dubbed by the authorities as the “Queen of Cyberporn” forced her own daughter to perform lewd acts online.

The woman, following her arrest, admitted that she ordered her daughter to perform such acts to earn money for their needs.

She and her 35-year-old husband were arrested Sunday by an operation conducted by the Anti-Trafficking Division of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Manila, Homeland Security and other law enforcement agencies.

NBI-7 director Antonio Pagatpat said that members of the Anti-Trafficking Division of NBI Manila arrived in Cebu on Saturday and asked their support for the arrest of the woman.

Pagatpat said the agents in Manila were able to secure search warrant against the woman from Judge Soliver Peras of Regional Trial Court Branch.

During their operation, Pagatpat said they arrested the couple and rescued their 13-yeard-old daughter, 14-year-old niece and a 17-year-old boy.

A computer was also seized during the operation.

The minors are now in the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

Information

Pagatpat said before the operation, the agents in Manila conducted surveillance on the couple for weeks.

He said it was the Homeland Security in the United States that fed the information to their Anti-Trafficking Division in Manila after the arrest of an American.

“There was an arrest in America and the evidence pointed to the transaction of pornography and exposure of children here,” he said.

Pagatpat said during their briefing, the NBI Manila agents called the subject as “Queen of Cyberporn.”

He said that based on the investigation of the Homeland Security and the NBI agents in Manila, the woman exploited a lot of minors, including her own daughter.

Interview

However, the woman denied that she is a bigtime cyberporn operator.

She claimed she was just alone in her business, saying she has only one computer.

The woman narrated that while having an online chat with a foreigner, her husband’s niece and a 17-year-old boy went inside their house. She said the two were just sitting beside her.

She said she never directed the two to make a “show” online.

She claimed said while she was about to go to sleep, the NBI agents and others arrived and arrested them.

She said her husband has nothing to do with her transaction.

“My husband did not tolerate my operation. In fact, he already told me to stop,” she said.

She said her customers were pedophiles who wanted minors to perform in front of the camera online.

The woman said after a raid in their barangay in 2011, she stopped and it was only recently that she returns to such illegal activity.

“I really regret, I want to ask forgiveness from my daughter,” she said.

She told those who are still involved in cyber pornography to stop such illegal activity.

Filing of case

Yesterday, the NBI filed charges against the couple for human trafficking, pornography, child abuse and violation of Electronic Commerce Act.

During the inquest proceeding, the two waived their right to undergo preliminary investigation.

In June 2011, a couple was arrested in Cordova for forcing their daughter and a niece to perform lewd acts online. —/LPM (FREEMAN)