CEBU, Philippines — The Regional Trial Court in Cebu City has convicted a 21-year-old woman for allegedly sexually exploiting minor girls to a foreigner online in exchange for money.
Accused, who was arrested in her residence in Cordova on April 23, 2018, entered a plea of guilty on Wednesday.
The FREEMAN withheld the names of the accused to protect the identities of the victims.
The International Justice Mission (IJM), in a press release, said the accused, who was arrested in an entrapment operation lead by the Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) last year, availed of a plea bargaining agreement for a lesser offense.
Accused was sentenced to suffer 15 years of imprisonment. Allegedly, she offered the minor girls, aged six, nine, and 11, for sexual abuses online.
The six-year old is the niece of the accused.
Judge Ramon Daomilas of RTC Branch 11 convicted the accused of attempted trafficking in persons, instead of qualified trafficking in persons with a corresponding penalty of life imprisonment.
Aside from imprisonment, accused was ordered to pay P500,000 in fines and P100,000 as exemplary damages.
The operation was in collaboration with the WCPC, the Anti-Cybercrime Group Region-7, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-7, and IJM.
Lawyer John Tanagho, IJM Cebu Field Office Director, said the plea bargaining conviction is a win-win decision.
“This conviction through plea bargaining 11 months after the rescue operation really gives justice and closure to the three young survivors, none of whom needed to testify in court to the abuse and trauma they suffered,” he said in a press release.
Cordova Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy-Cho said the conviction of the accused teaches those committing cyberpornography that when someone violates the law, it will not go unpunished.
The victim’s mother expressed gratitude of the conviction of the accused.
Meanwhile, the IJM said there were 56 persons convicted of crimes involving Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC) in the Philippines, which was supported by them. 193 OSEC perpetrators were arrested and 454 victims were rescued. — GAN (FREEMAN)