Policemen monitoring more onlinechild porno

CEBU, Philippines —  The Women and Children Protection Center-Visayas Field Unit (WCPC-Visayas) is monitoring other possible online sexual exploitation activities in Cebu.

This after the operatives rescued seven minors and arrested a woman in an anti-child pornography operation in Barangay Luz, Cebu City Wednesday afternoon.

"Naa pata laing gi-monitor sa pagkakaron and hopefully madakpan gihapon sila kung dili gyud sila mo stop sa ilang illegal activities," said Police Major Niño Lawrence Ibo, officer-in-charge of WCPC-Visayas.

Ibo said that the anti-child pornography operations they conducted on Wednesday has caused an alarm although they have yet to determine the data if there is an increase in the number of online sexual exploitation activities in Cebu prior to the pandemic.

"Alarming gyud ni siya kay victims gud ani kay kasagaran mga minors. Once mag upload or mag send og photos, wala nata kabalo sa other foreigners or pedophiles kung asa maabot ang photos," he said.

"Kung ma upload na sa internet, maglisod nata og pa delete. Ang tendency what if modagko nani atong victim... nana silay own family or adult na sila...makita or ma publish ilang nude photos sa internet, mao na ato angay i-prevent," he added.

Ibo also encouraged the public to be on alert against online sexual exploitations.

"Kung naa sila ma-detect or mahibaw-an nga ni engage ani nga illegal activities, pwede sila mo report sa amoang Facebook account then naa pod tay hotline numbers," he said.

The identity of the suspect has been withheld to protect the safety of the rescued minors.

The arrest of a woman and rescue of seven minors came from the anti-online sexual exploitation operation conducted in 2020 in which the arrested individuals revealed about the illegal activities of the arrested suspect on Wednesday.

"Ang amoang previous nga nadakpan gud, 2020 pato, nisulti nga ang nagtudlo gud niya (online sexual exploitation) kay kining nadakpan karon," Ibo said.

The entrapment operation against the suspect was about to happen back then. However, due to the restrictions and lockdowns, the operation was restrained.

"Nagtuo mi nga niundang na siya (pag pandemic) kay wala naman moreply...so karon among gi monitor og balik, ni engage napod og bag-ong account," Ibo said.

Last June 22, the suspect was confirmed to be actively engaged in online sexual activities again after an undercover police agent from WCPC-Visayas conducted an online surveillance.

Twenty dollars - over P1,000 in peso rate - was offered to bait the suspect's location.

Obscene photos of the rescued minors were also offered during the operation on Wednesday.

Based on the initial reports, the suspect would offer to send nude photos of her to foreign clients following the photos or videos of the minors.

Authorities have yet to determine if the rescued four males were also being used in online sexual exploitation.

"For interview to sila ang mga lalaki kay wala ta kabalo kung ang uban costumer niya if asta ang mga lalaki gi-offer pod niya. So ato pang interview-hon kung gi abuse ba sila or wala," Ibo said.

They are also conducting further investigations to determine the nationalities of the foreign pedophiles who have transacted with the suspect.

"Ang focus namo is ma-determine kung naa ba lain foreigner nga client para pod makahatag ta og referral sa foreign law enforcement para ma conduct ang investigation didto sa laing country," Ibo explained.

The arrested woman will be facing charges for violating the Cybercrime Prevention Act or Republic Act No. 10175.

The rescued minors are also now under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7). — GMR (FREEMAN)