Congress inquiry on porn set today

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu sixth district Rep. Luis Gabriel Quisumbing yesterday announced that his House Resolution No.754 will be heard today in Congress.

Quisumbing, in a press statement, said that the committee on information and communications technology will hear today his resolution calling for an investigation on the continued proliferation of cybersex dens and the enforcement of related penal laws.

"During the 15th Congress, we filed a similar resolution hoping to address the problem of child pornography and cybersex dens, especially in Cordova, a municipality in the sixth district of Cebu.  Unfortunately, the previous resolution was not acted upon and we now see that the problem has persisted and has even proliferated on a nationwide scale," Quisumbing said.

It was reported that the said resolution was never acted upon due to the impeachment proceedings of former chief justice Renato Corona and upcoming May 2013 elections that time.

Several laws, particularly Republic Act 9775 or the Anti Child Pornography Act, affirm the state's duty to protect every child from all forms of exploitation and abuse, including the use of children in pornographic performances and materials.

"There is an urgent need to step up on the enforcement of these laws. We hope that with this investigation, we can zero in on the problem of cybersex dens and child pornography, and ultimately come up with a mechanism through legislation to put an end to this abominable practice," Quisumbing added.

Earlier, the legislator lamented that despite the enactment laws protecting children from exploitation, the use of children in pornographic performances - wherein they were made to pose naked or perform sexual acts in front of a web camera - has continued to proliferate.

He said a proof of these is the continued proliferation and subsequent raids of cybersex dens in Angeles City in Pampanga and in Sta. Mesa in Manila.

"Now therefore, be it resolved, as it is hereby resolved, that the house committee on the welfare of children be directed to conduct an investigation in aid of legislation on the continued existence, even proliferation of cybersex dens all over the country, and the effectiveness of, as well as challenges to, the enforcement of all penal laws intended to prevent and deter the same," part of Quisumbing's HR No. 754 reads. (FREEMAN)