Cebu lawmen train against cyber-porn

CEBU, Philippines - With the advancement of technology used to exploit women and children, Cebu law enforcers kept up by undergoing a series of trainings on cyber-pornography detection.

Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale said the trainings are primarily aimed at strengthening the police’s and National Bureau of Investigation personnel’s ability to detect cyber-pornography and preserving evidence integrity.

Magpale sits as co-chairperson of the Provincial Women’s Commission and the Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children.

“Mao ni ang gitun-an karon nga ang mga police officers how to detect (cyber pornography), even in chats. We are continuing this to involve more police officers, NBI agents, and others (law enforcement agencies),” she told reporters.

She said the trainings would be a re-echo activity to be conducted by those who attended a training held in Manila two weeks ago and organized by the Department of Justice and the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT). 

The DOJ and IACAT training was attended by Philippine National Police representatives and different anti-trafficking and anti-cyber-pornography advocates.

Magpale noted that the province is currently dependent on the United States’ Department of Homeland Security in tracking cyber-pornography and trafficking cases.

According to its website, the Homeland Security is responsible for investigating human trafficking, arresting traffickers and protecting victims.

Magpale said they are more focused now, cyber-pornography being the “most difficult” because of some parents think that mere photographs do no harm their children as there is not even a physical contact with perpetrators.

She reminded parents not to be tempted by easy money offered by cyber-pornography.

She said taking nude pictures of children is already punishable under the anti-child sex tourism ordinance of Cebu.

“Many parents still don’t realize that (dangers of cyber pornography),”the vice governor said.

Early this month, a man and his live-in partner were arrested in a raid after they allegedly had minors perform lewd acts in front of the camera in Cordova, Cebu.

The NBI-7 filed before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office criminal complaints of qualified human trafficking and child pornography against the two.

The woman was allegedly caught using her mobile phone to take a video of her 10-year-old niece posing naked. The video was reportedly intended for a foreign customer.

During the operation, authorities rescued five victims–ages five to 12, and turned over them to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for counseling.  (FREEMAN)