Boy saved from mother’s online sexual exploitation

A THREE-YEAR-OLD boy was rescued from his mother who allegedly sexually exploited him in exchange for money in Barangay Looc, Lapu-Lapu City yesterday afternoon.

During the entrapment, authorities caught the 24-year-old mother who offered to live stream the child sexual abuse from their home.

The boy is a victim of Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (Osec).

The PNP Women and Children’s Protection Center (WCPC) Visayas Field Unit together with Lapu-Lapu City WCP Desk, Lapu-Lapu Special Weapons and Tactics team, personnel of the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Group 7, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7, and International Justice Mission (IJM) arrested the mother around 2 p.m. yesterday.

Senior Supt. Romeo Perigo, chief of the WCPC Visayas Field Unit, said they found pornographic materials in the house of the suspect.

Through a search warrant issued by Judge Ramon Daomilas Jr. of the Regional Trial Court Branch 11, several money transfer receipts and smart phones were also seized from Nina (real name withheld).

Perigo said Nina does not have a job and has a live-in partner.

Nina reportedly described to the authorities how she sexually abused her son just to get money from online clients.

Videos

According to IJM, Nina also sent sexually explicit videos of young children “forced to perform sex acts on the suspect.”

Authorities believe that she has other victims.

Perigo said they are looking for a five-year-old girl who was in one of the photos from the suspect.

“According to her, that child doesn’t live there, but we still are investigating kung taga diin ni siya (where she’s from),” he said.

The suspect will face cases for violations of Republic Act (RA) 9208, or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, and RA 9775, or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 in relation to RA 10175, or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.

Perigo said the suspect was detained in the holding cell of the Lapu-Lapu Police Station 3.

The boy was placed under the custody of DSWD 7.

Assessment

IJM said that OSEC victims will only be returned to the community after a comprehensive family home and risk assessment.

It is is conducted to confirm that the home is a safe place for children and that they will no longer be sexually abused or exploited by their parents or relatives.

Yesterday’s OSEC operation in Lapu-Lapu comes just two days after 13 OSEC victims in Biliran and Tacloban were rescued and three suspects were arrested.

“This is a reminder that there is much progress in the fight against OSEC, and effective law enforcement can rescue and protect traumatized Filipino children across the country,” said IJM Cebu Field Office Director John Tanagho. (FMG)

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