Cyber pornography Sitoy wants conduits penalized

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Board has taken the first step in response to the call of Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy to include money conduits in the cybersex crime operations.

Sitoy’s son, Board Member Arleigh Jay Sitoy, sponsored a proposed ordinance penalizing owners, board of directors, officers, supervising managers of money transfer outlet proven to be conduits of money transmittals of persons engaged in cybersex.

The said proposed measure is now in the PB committee on laws chaired by Board Member Joven Mondigo Jr.

Under the proposal, money transfer outlet shall refer to as an establishment whose money is electronically transferred for a recipient to receive from a person or source based in another place.

Persons found guilty shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment of one year or a fine of P100,000 or both fine and imprisonment depending on the discretion of the court, without prejudice to the administrative sanctions such as the revocation of business permits of the offending establishment.

“The commission of the crime could be further deterred if money conduits specifically money transfer outlets be made accessories to the crime of cybersex especially those involving children,” Board Member Sitoy said.

Mayor Sitoy earlier called for an investigation against money transfer outlets that cater to cyber pornography money in his town where a lot of operations have been conducted.

He even described the last raid in Sitio Sun-ok, Barangay Ibabao as “half-baked” because agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the United States Homeland Security should have included the “channel of the operations.”

He explained that the performers will collect the money first before doing the actual show.

The mayor suggested that money transfer shops in Cordova should be regulated and that the local government unit should be given powers to inquire into the nature of their transactions.

PB Member Jose Ribomapil Holganza Jr. also suggested that the municipality should also issue a local ordinance regarding the proposed regulation.

Records of the Cebu Provincial Police Office show that cases of child trafficking and cyberporn operations occurred in Dumanjug, Cordova, Pinamungahan, Balamban, Toledo City, Daanbantayan, Bogo City, Consolacion, Minglanilla, and Argao from 2008 up to the present.

Cordova got the highest with 11 arrests, with three involving cyber pornography. (FREEMAN)