Recent cases show child pornography in RP worsening

With no statistics to chart the prevalence of child pornography in the Philippines, there are recent cases that indicate the social problem has gotten worse over the years.

Advocates pointed out the case of a 44-year-old Filipino mother who sold her five-year-old daughter to undress before her New Zealander boyfriend in front of a web camera.

Jedeka Martinez also urged her nieces, aged eight and 14 years old, to undress for P200 per peek.

Martinez, at first, allegedly cavorted before her foreigner boyfriend via the web cam.

But she allegedly turned to her daughter when the New Zealander asked her if she had any kids who could act out the part.

She reportedly volunteered her child and two nieces and gave them P200 per session.

According to Chief Superintendent Rodolfo Mendoza Jr., deputy director of the Philippine National Police-Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM), the children were forced to strip naked by Martinez.

Martinez was arrested last May and charged for violating Republic Act 9208, known as the "Anti-Trafficking of Persons Act."

Mendoza said the arrest of Martinez highlighted the prevalence of child pornography in the Philippines using the latest technological developments.

Aside from Martinez’s private peep show, Mendoza claimed that there are about 50 to 75 cyber-sex dens operating in the country today, accessible from anywhere around the world through chat rooms over the Internet.

"We have no concrete statistics but based on international impressions, the Philippines is now ranked fourth next to Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar as one of Asia’s child prostitution centers," Mendoza told a forum on "Building Alliances to Combat Child Pornography" sponsored by the United Nations Children’s Educational Fund (Unicef) at the College of St. Benilde Hotel in Manila yesterday.