Sunday, August 19, 2007 Net cafes monitored to prevent 'cybersex'
CITY councilors conducted inspection late last week on all Internet cafes operating in the city to prevent proliferation of cybersex here.
City councilors Eduardo Leyson III, chair of the committee on police and public safety, and Minardo Avila Jr. of the committee on games and amusement, led the conduct of inspection.
Leyson claimed the conduct of inspection was in line with the strict implementation of Ordinance no. 12, series of 2005, which requires all Internet cafes to dismantle enclosed cubicles and make their operation transparent.
Such ordinance was passed by the city council during the height of cybersex controversy two years ago.
The public then had raised a complaint regarding the proliferation of "cybermotels" or Internet cafes-cum-sex dens.
During the inspection, Leyson noted that there were still a lot of Internet cafe operators who were not complying with the ordinance.
He claimed several cafes were still maintaining enclosed cubicles, some of them even "look like a bedroom with curtain."
The inspection team, however, did not report any lewd activities being conducted by Internet cafe users behind enclosed cubicles.
"But we have to follow the law to the letter. The main objective in passing Ordinance no. 12 is to prevent cybersex and other porno or lewd activities in the internet cafes," Leyson said.
Aside from the existence of enclosed cubicles, Avila deplored the presence of students playing internet games or chatting even during school hours.
Avila warned Internet cafe owners to ban students from playing internet games or chatting during school hours.
The city councilors said three repeated violations by internet cafe owners of such ordinance will result to imposition of P5,000 fine and permanent closure of their establishment.
They found out that aside from violating Ordinance no. 12, several Internet cafes have also been operating without the required business permit. (Aquiles Zonio)
