A 32-YEAR-OLD woman from Talomo District, Davao City was sentenced to four life imprisonment and ordered to pay a total of P6 million for several violations, including violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.
The suspect was arrested after she offered to sexually abuse her son, six years old at the time of the commission of the crime, and her daughter, one year old at that time in exchange for money "or for other considerations".
Presiding Judge Glenn De Castro Aquino of the Davao City Regional Trial Court Branch 8 found the woman guilty of qualified trafficking, child abuse, and offering child sexual abuse material through the use of a computer system. Aside from multiple life terms, the suspect was also sentenced to an additional 14 years in prison and to pay a total of P6 million in fines and P1.5 million in moral, civil, and exemplary damages.
The conviction stemmed from a law enforcement operation on June 13, 2018.
Members of the WCPC-Mindanao Field Unit, in collaboration with the Davao City Police Office and the Talomo Police Office, arrested the trafficker in an entrapment operation and rescued her young son and the female toddler who was under her care. Her arrest came after she offered to sexually abuse the two children in exchange for money online.
Social workers from the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DSWD-Davao) and the City Social Welfare Service (CSWD) were present during the operation.
Davao Regional Prosecutor Janet Grace Dalisay-Fabrero, in an online interview, said this conviction is another testament that the government is relentless in its efforts to combat and end trafficking-in-person, especially the online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
"The DOJ will always be at the forefront in protecting our children from this modern-day menace. I commend the handling prosecutors in giving justice to the victim. May this be a warning to traffickers that we will not stop until we put them all behind bars," she said.
Deputy Regional Prosecutor Barbara Mae Flores prosecuted the case, together with Senior Assistant Regional Prosecutor Robert Michael Razon and Assistant City Prosecutor Peter Paul Tombo.
As of the moment, Dalisay-Fabrero said they are currently working on a total of three online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (Osaec) cases.
According to International Justice Mission-Philippines (IJM Philippines), the trafficking of children to produce child sexual exploitation materials, including livestreamed abuse, is widespread in the Philippines.
Its study estimates that "nearly half a million Filipino children were victims of this crime in 2022 alone, with nearly a quarter of a million adult Filipinos perpetrating this form of exploitation during the same period."
IJM Cebu Director Atty. Lucille Dejito said convictions like this help to intensify deterrence for this crime.
"Another powerful form of deterrence is when the people in the community are vigilant and active in reporting cases of online sexual exploitation to authorities. IJM is prepared to assist our
government partners in bringing victims to safety and holding perpetrators accountable,” Dejito said.
To report information about child abuse, contact Davao City's Kean Gabriel 24-hour Hotline (082) 226-4444 or the Philippine National Police–Women and Children Protection Center at 0966-725-5961 (Globe) and 0919-777-7377 for online sexual exploitation on children cases. With IJM PR
Related story:
