CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police arrested a 45-year-old mother from Mandaue City after she was caught in the act of offering online sexual predators to record videos of herself sexually abusing her minor daughters.
The entrapment operation was carried out by members of the Philippine National Police’s (PNP) Women and Children Protection Center-Visayas Field Unit (WCPC-VFU), the Mandaue City Police Office, and the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) on Tuesday morning, April 16, 2019.
It was a result of a cyber tip by the by the Department of Justice Office of Cybercrime (DOJ OOC) from the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), which is based in the US, according to a press statement issued by the International Justice Mission (IJM).
Police rescued the suspect’s daughters, ages six years old and seven years old, who are now under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas (DSWD-7).
“Aside from the three girls, authorities also removed the suspect’s two other children, ages 13 and 17, for
assessment as they are considered at risk of exploitation. The siblings are now receiving trauma-informed care,” IJM said.
The suspect may face life imprisonment and may be ordered to pay a fine ranging from P2 million to P5 million if found guilty for violating the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act or Republic Act (RA) No. 9208.
She will also face complaints for violation of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (RA No. 10175) and Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 (RA No. 9775), both of which have penalties equivalent to 20 to 40 years imprisonment. / celr