PARENTS are the first line of defense against sex traffickers who lure minors to prostitution or online pornography by offering them money and gadgets, according to the police.
PO2 Maria Pilipina Branzuela, in a phone interview, said discipline is the key for parents to keep their children away from criminals.
“Ang ako lang ika-advise sa mga ginikanan mao nga from time to time ila gyung i-monitor ang ilahang anak labi nang pag-uli sa gabii (I would like to advise the parents to monitor their children from time to time especially when they go home late at night),” said Branzuela, Women and Children’s Protection Desk chief of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO)-Station 3.
She said parents should also train their children not to be materialistic or not to aim for high-end gadgets like android phones even if they cannot afford to buy one.
“Ila pong ipasabot sa mga bata nga kining mga gadget dili para sa ilang kaugmaon kun di ilaha ra gyud ning ka pritso (They should let them understand that aiming for gadgets is not for the good of their future, but it is just to satisfy their whims),” said Branzuela.
Last Friday night, operatives of Station 3 and LCPO-City Intelligence Branch led by Chief Insp. Mark Gifter Sucalit arrested alleged pimp Jojo Andrino Sanchez, 22, and rescued three girls-two of whom are 17 and the other one is 14.
Sanchez did not know that he pimped the minors to three police decoys in Barangay Pajo.
The suspect, who is jobless, will face inquest proceedings today before the Office of City Prosecutor for violating Republic Act (RA) 9208, or the Anti-trafficking in Persons Act as amended by RA 10364 and RA 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
Pimping minors fall under qualified trafficking, which is a non-bailable offense.
She said the victims were turned over to the parents, but the social workers will monitor them closely.
Sanchez, a resident of Barangay Labogon, Mandaue City, is the first person arrested by Station 3 personnel for human trafficking this year.
RA 9208 prohibits a person “to recruit, transport, transfer; harbor, provide, or receive a person by any means, including those done under the pretext of domestic or overseas employment or training or apprenticeship, for the purpose of prostitution, pornography, sexual exploitation, forced labor, slavery, involuntary servitude or debt bondage,” while RA 7610 punishes anyone who commits cruelty against a child.