Another human trafficker nabbed in Talisay, eight minors rescued

THEY never learn.

Despite an ongoing crackdown against those involved in cyberpornography, another alleged human trafficker was arrested by police on Thursday afternoon in an entrapment operation in Barangay Cansojong, Talisay City.

This time, eight minors aged three to 17 were rescued from the hands of their 31-year-old relative, who allegedly took lewd videos of the victims and sold them online.

The Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG)-Visayas Field Unit nabbed a former call center agent who allegedly offered to sexually abuse three young girls during the entrapment operation.

“She offered us a nude live show of these three minors, aged 10, 14, and 17 for P5,000,” said Chief Insp. Leo Dofiles, ACG-Visayas Field Unit chief.

Dofiles said that the suspected human trafficker is related to some of the minors.

The operation was done in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO), and the International Justice Mission (IJM).

Atty. John Tanagho, IJM-Cebu Field Office Director, said that of the eight minors, three were confirmed victims.

The rest, he said, are considered “at-risk for abuse” since they were inside the suspect’s house when the operation was conducted.

“Yesterday’s rescue and entrapment operation shows that multiple police units are actively investigating the perpetrators of online sexual exploitation in Cebu. It’s high time that people respect the dignity of children,” Tanagho said.

The 31-year-old was the eighth suspected child trafficker arrested in Cebu this year.

The arrest came a day after an Australian national and his Filipina live-in partner were meted life terms by a Cagayan de Oro City court for human trafficking.

Peter Gerard Scully and Carme Ann Alvarez were also ordered to pay a fine of P5 million each for forcing children to perform appalling sexual acts and torturing them while taking videos of the ordeal and selling the videos online.

The arrest of the Cansojong, Talisay suspect brings to eight the number of cyberporn criminals collared this year.

Last June 9, operatives arrested a pregnant suspect in Cordova town for trafficking six children.

Last May 16, a mother was arrested and three teenage girls, including her own daughter, were rescued in San Fernando, Cebu.

Anti-Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC) operations were also conducted in Cordova and Talisay City last April 23, and in Lapu-Lapu City last February 26.