Radaza to cybercriminals: Your 15 minutes are up

Rep. Aileen Radaza

MANILA — Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Aileen Radaza called for the creation of a group solely tasked to go after operators of cyber pornography dens in the country.

Radaza yesterday took the floor and delivered her first privilege speech as a member of the House of Representatives.

He spoke out on the prevalence of cyberpornography by prefacing her privilege speech with a reminder that yesterday marked the start of the annual observance of Women’s Month.

The legislator delivered her speech amid a backdrop of a live feed featuring 8,000 Lapu-Lapu City residents at the Lapu-Lapu City Hoops Dome carrying banners and streamers bearing messages against cyberpornography.

“Let us raise the alarm bell with a resounding message to the cyber criminals – Your 15 minutes are up,” Radaza said in the middle of her speech.

At the end of her speech, lawmakers rang bells her staffers placed on their desks before she Congress started its session at 4 p.m.  Lapu-Lapu

City residents who flew in to witness her speech were also given bells to ring.

From being peddled in the streets, Radaza said women are now being prostituted online.

“The Philippines is being reported as a center of child pornography and cyber prostitution. It is unfortunate that these operations are being run by small and medium scale operators under the guise, I repeat, under the guise of Internet services– a ‘call center’ of sorts that bridges these helpless victims to paying patrons whether it be for pornography or prostitution,” she said.

She said in Cebu alone, there is a rise in cyberpornography cases in which the victims are minors and women.

“The people of Lapu-Lapu City, in their own way, are supporting our call to uplift the stature of our women and children by engaging in activities that promote awareness, and education on the responsible ways of utilizing the Internet,” Radaza said.

She said there are also hundreds of websites that market female services through massages, escorts and tour guides.

RESPONSIBLE

“What compounds this problem as we found out during interviews with our local social workers and the Children’s Legal Bureau and non-government organizations is the absence of a  dedicated agency or group that can closely monitor the operations of these conscienceless promoters and eventually chase and crack down on them,” Radaza said.

She said it is also important that the public be educated on existing laws that protect victims and punish purveyors of cyber-porngraphy.

Radaza said Congress should prepare a “roadmap” that includes incorporating information on these laws along with the responsible use of the Internet in the school curriculum.