Cebu’s “Queen of Cyberpornography,” Eileen Ontong, face reporters following a raid on her cell and that of German national Thomas Michael Ruhland over suspicions that their individual cybercrime businesses continue even while at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilation Center (CPDRC).
Years of detention inside the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) appear to not have slowed down the operations of Cebu’s “Queen of Cyberpornography” nor weakened her boldness to commit crime. The same goes for the “king” – a German national jailed in CPDRC for being the “biggest source” of cyberpornography in Cebu.
Both were caught with banned electronic devices, which were purportedly used in transacting business straight from their cells.
The apprehension sparked an internal investigation at CPDRC to determine who might have aided the two prisoners in acquiring the contraband items inside the jail.
A surprise raid conducted by CPDRC jail warden Romeo Manansala at around 10 a.m. Tuesday netted a laptop and a cellphone from German national Thomas Michael Ruhland and a mobile phone from Eileen Ontong, dubbed as Cebu’s “Queen of Cyberpornography. ”
The raid on the cells of the two suspected cyber criminals was prompted by a tip from the Office of Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale last week.
A scan on the cellphones and laptop, however, failed to show any evidence of cyberpornography.
“Among gipa-scan ang laptop. Ang sulod kay mga salida ra man sa sine. Walay mga law-ay nga sulod. Wala sad miy nakuha nga WiFi or broadband (We had the laptop scanned. It only had movies. We didn’t see lewd materials. We also didn’t get WiFi or broadband devices), ” Manansala told reporters yesterday while Ruhland’s cellphone only had texts in German.
Likewise, Ontong’s cellphone did not contain any pornographic material, according to Manansala, and just had texts from her relatives asking how she was doing.
Ontong vehemently denied allegations that she was still operating a cyberpornography business inside CPDRC, claiming that she had stopped engaging in child pornography since 2013 when a case against her was filed.
But Magpale, who heads the Provincial Women’s Commission and co-chairs the Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children (PCWC), believes otherwise, citing intelligence reports against Ontong and Ruhland.
“Based on our surveillance, he (Ruhland) was still remitting (pornographic materials). He is the biggest source of cyberpornography. In fact, he is wanted in many countries,” Magpale said.
According to Magpale, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) had also conducted surveillance on the activities of the two suspects inside the jail.
Magpale said Ontong and Ruhland managed each of their pornographic businesses even while in jail and were being contacted by foreigners who wanted photos, videos and other pornographic materials on children.
The materials were provided through their contacts from outside the facility.
Magpale said that although the two were operating separately, they had similar markets in Europe and the United States.
“Unsaon man pag-manager oi nga perte man kahigpit diri? Ang paggunit sa cellphone, para man na sa communication sa mga family. Wa man nay laing kuan (How can I be managing that when it’s very strict here? My cellphone is only for communication with my family. I’m not using it for anything else),” Ontong snapped at reporters while refusing to face the cameras.
When repeatedly asked how she managed to keep a cellphone in jail, Ontong either replied with “wala ko kahibaw” (I don’t know) or “ambot kaha” (I’m not sure).
Ontong faces charges for qualified human trafficking, child pornography and child abuse while Ruhland is being accused of qualified trafficking, rape and child abuse following his arrest in 2011 in a hotel in Talisay City with two minors.
Last week, Magpale went to see Gov. Hilario Davide III to relay intelligence reports on the alleged continued cyberpornography activities of the two inside. Davide then issued a note to the jail warden asking CPDRC officials to check on the matter. The confiscated gadgets have been turned over the Gov. Davide.
Following Tuesday’s raid on their cells and the confiscation of the gadgets, Ontong has not been allowed to freely leave her cell inside the facility while Ruhland has been kept in isolation.
Before the tip from Davide and Magpale, jail warden Manansala said they had no idea that Ontong and Ruhland still engaged in cyberpornography.
Following the incident, Manansala formed a unit composed of newer jail guards tasked to inspect the older ones to guard against the bringing in of banned items.
Yesterday, CPDRC officials seized two reams of cigarettes from a lady jail guard in a surprise inspection conducted at the start of their early morning shift.
The guard would reportedly sell the cigarettes to the inmates at a price of P5 per stick. Right there, officials burned the cigarettes in front of the guard and reprimanded her.