29-year-old woman arrested for online trafficking in Daanbantayan, 4 rescued

Operatives from the Women and Children Protection Center – Visayas Field Unit (WCPC-VFU) arrested a 29-year-old woman who was caught offering to sexually abuse her daughter and relatives online in exchange for money from a foreign sex offender. | Photo Courtesy of International Justice Mission (IJM)

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 29-year-old woman who was allegedly offering to sexually abuse her daughter and relatives online in exchange for money from a foreign sex offender was arrested by members of the police’s Women and Children Protection Center – Visayas Field Unit (WCPC-VFU) on March 10, 2020, at around 1 p.m. in Daan Bantayan, north Cebu.

In a press statement from International Justice Mission (IJM), three minors, aged 5 to 12 years old, were rescued along with an adult victim, aged 27. The four victims were said to be related to the suspect.

The suspect’s five-year-old son was also moved out of the area as he was considered at risk.

The arrest of the suspect was said to be based on the referral given to the Philippine Internet Crimes Against Children Center (PICACC) on June 21, 2019.

During that time the PICACC received information from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) regarding an American national who was suspected of sending money to the Philippines in exchange for explicit photographs of minors.

WCPC-VFU then conducted investigations that led to the identification of the local facilitator.

Three female minors were found to have been offered for sexual exploitation online in exchange for money during the surveillance.

“Now that the suspect is restrained, this does not only mean protection and safety of her victims but also those children who would have been abused if she was not restrained at all,” said Lawyer Lucille Dejito, Head of Prosecution Development at IJM Cebu Field Office.

WCPC-VFU conducted the operation in coordination with the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) 7, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7, and Daanbantayan Police Office, with support from International Justice Mission (IJM).

Occurring in various communities in the Philippines, OSEC is a crime that violates the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act or Republic Act (RA) No. 9208 (as amended by RA 10364), which comes with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment and a fine of P2 million to P5 million. Typical OSEC offenses also violate RA 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012), RA 9775 (Anti‐Child Pornography Act of 2009) and RA 7610  (Anti-Child Abuse Law).

One may report a suspected case of OSEC by texting ENDOSEC (space) (incident details) to 7444-64 for Smart network subscribers, or directly connect with WCPC at  (032) 410-8483 for Visayas, and 0917-180-6037 or 0928-604-6425 for Mindanao. /rcg