Cebu court convicts 22-year-old Filipina for trafficking children

The defendant pleads guilty to 4 cases involving the trafficking of children for online sexual exploitation

by Ryan Macasero, 7 Feb 2020

CEBU CITY, Philippines – A 22-year-old Filipina from Lapu-Lapu City was sentenced Wednesday, February 5, to 17 years and 4 months in prison for 4 counts of online sex trafficking.

She was arrested in August 2017 for offering to exploit a minor online to paying foreign sex offenders.

The Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutor’s Office charged the trafficker with cases under the anti-trafficking in persons act (Republic Act 10364), the Cybercrime Prevention Act (Republic Act 10175), and Anti-Child Abuse Act (Republic Act 7610). 

Anti-trafficking laws carry a penalty of up to life imprisonment and a fine between P2 million and P5 million.

The defendant, who was not identified, pleaded guilty on all charges.

She entered her guilty plea before Judge Christine Muga-Abad of Regional Trial Court Branch 70. Aside from the 17-year sentence, Judge Muga-Abad also ordered the convicted trafficker to pay P1 million in fines.

The victim was rescued by the Philippine National Police Women and Children’s Protection Center Visayas Field Unit (WCPC-VFU) with the cooperation of the International Justice Mission (IJM). 

The authorities acted on a confidential tip that the children were being exploited.

“Holding criminals accountable for trafficking children into online sexual exploitation acknowledges the harm that they caused, honors the human dignity of survivors, and protects the community from continued trafficking,” said John Tanagho, IJM Cebu Field Office Director

The rescue operation – and entrapment of the perpetrator – resulted in the rescue of the 14-year-old girl in Sitio Salvage, Barangay Looc, Lapu-Lapu City.

Seized at the crime scene were the gadgets used to livestream the sexual abuse. 

Lapu-Lapu City and Cordova, especially, have been hot spots for sex traficking of minors.

The International Justice Mission encourages community members who suspect sex trafficking happening in their neighborhoods to report it anonymously.

They can report suspected case to the Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC) office by texting ENDOSEC (space) (incident details) to 7444-64 for Smart network subscribers; or directly connect with WCPC at (032) 410-8483 for Visayas, and 0917-180-6037 or 0928-604-6425 for Mindanao. – Rappler.com