Prosecutor: No bail for couple

CEBU, Philippines - The Office of the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor has recommended no bail against the couple who allegedly exploited their own daughter for cyber pornography.

State Prosecutor Rustom Presas found probable cause to charge the two for violation of human trafficking, anti-pornography, child abuse and the electronic commerce act.

During inquest proceeding last Monday, the couple waived their right to undergo preliminary investigation and to face the charges in court.

Presas recommended no bail for human trafficking while P200,000 and P100,000 above for the other cases. There were nine charge sheets filed in court yesterday against the couple.

Last Sunday, the couple was arrested by the agents of Anti-Trafficking Division of the National Bureau of Investigation Manila and other agencies by virtue of a search warrant issued by Judge Soliver Peras of the Regional Trial Court.

Based on the investigation conducted by the agents of NBI Manila and agents of the Homeland Security of the Unites States, the woman was an alleged bigtime cyberporn operator.

However, this was denied by the woman who claimed she only ran a small operation and has only one computer at home.

In 2011, the woman admitted that she stopped engaging in cyberporn after a neighboring couple was arrested for human trafficking for exploiting their own children online. She said she returned to cyberporn only recently.

She reported getting P1,000 per transaction.

Reportedly, the minors were ordered to perform lewd acts as foreigners watched online.

‘No involvement’

The woman’s husband denied any involvement in the transaction. He said that he even warned her to stop. This was corroborated by his wife.

“I was surprised when the NBI nabbed my husband because he has nothing to do with the transaction, it was me,” she said, adding that she regrets everything.

Aside from being remorseful, the woman asked for forgiveness from her 13-year old daughter who is now under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. She said she only did it so she could give her everything she needs.

Commitment order

Executive Judge Carlos Fernandez of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities in Mandaue City issued the commitment order against the couple. He ordered them to be detained at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

Fernandez issued the order after no RTC judges were present at the time. The criminal cases were filed at past 4 p.m. yesterday.

The operation stemmed from the arrest of an American in the US for a violation of child pornography. It was the Homeland Security that fed the information to the Anti-Trafficking Division of NBI Manila that the origin of the evidences came from Cordova town.

This information prompted the Trafficking Division to conduct surveillance that led to the application of a search warrant and eventually the arrest of the couple.

Meanwhile, Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy wants the NBI to include money courier businesses and the telecommunication companies in their investigation.

Sitoy said money sent through courier business can be traced to people engaged in cyberporn.

Sitoy also he has a group monitoring people involved in cyberporn but they are lacking in equipment and expertise.

“Admittedly, the LGU never had the capability of tracking these people unlike the NBI,” the mayor said.

IJM

Andrey Sawchenko, national director of the International Justice Mission expressed their support to the efforts of the Department of Justice, NBI, DSWD and the Province of Cebu in combating exploitation of minors.

“We are encouraged to see cybersex activities successfully stopped in this case and we look forward to supporting the DOJ as they prosecute the parents who built their business at the expense of their children,” the press statement reads. —/BRP (FREEMAN)