Personnel from the Women and Children Protection Center-Visayas Field Unit (WCPC-VFU) talk with Lindsey (real name withheld), 17, after she was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing three underage girls in exchange for money from foreign clients. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/IJM
A 17-year-old girl who allegedly facilitated online sexual exploitation was arrested by police operatives at Barangay Sambag Dos in Cebu City past 1 p.m. on Monday.
Lindsey (not her real name), was nabbed in an operation conducted by the Women and Children Protection Center – Visayas Field Unit (WCPC-VFU) of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas.
She allegedly offered to sexually abuse three underage girls and transmitted pornographic images in exchange for money from her foreign customers online.
Senior Supt. Romeo Perigo, WCPC-VFU chief, said that Lindsey had been under surveillance since April 2017 because of her link to an American national who was suspected of being engaged in cyber trafficking.
During the surveillance, Lindsey allegedly transmitted lewd images of herself and three other underage girls.
A 14-year-old girl, one of Lindsey’s alleged victims, was rescued during the operation and is now under the protective custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7).
The operation was conducted in coordination with the Cebu City Police Office’s Women and Children Protection Desk (CCPO-WCPD), Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Inter-Agency Council against Trafficking (IACAT-7), and the International Justice Mission (IJM).
“Transmitting any form of child pornography is equally illegal as creating and producing it. Once an image has been transmitted online, it can be redistributed anywhere in the world multiple times,” said lawyer Lucille Dejito, IJM-Cebu Director of LegalInterventions.
Since Lindsey is still a minor, she will also be turned over to the Cebu City Department of Social Welfare and Services pending further investigation.
Both of her parents are in jail for illegal drug charges, Lindsey told the police.
If the police determines that Lindsey’s alleged involvement in cyber pornography was done with discernment, she will be charged with violation of the Anti-Child Pornography Act in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act.
“It is unfortunate that a brutal crime such as online sexual exploitation of children can also be perpetrated by minors against other children,” said Dejito.
“If determined to be acting with discernment, the suspect will have to face accountability and go through the proper interventions under the law, otherwise, she will continue to exploit children with impunity,” Dejito added.
The crime carries a penalty of 20 years in prison.
“To those who are engaging in online sexual exploitation of children, you should stop your illegal activity now because the WCPC Visayas Field Unit will catch and bring you to the court of law,”Perigo warned.