The government on Tuesday, Aug. 23, declared an all-out war against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC).
“Yes. We are declaring a war on this,” said Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla during a press conference that was held jointly with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Information and Communications Technology, and the United States Homeland Security.
Remulla, chairperson of the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT), explained that the government has taken action due to concerns that the Philippines has become the top source of OSAEC.
“Napakasakit aminin ngunit tayo po ang nangunguna sa buong mundo dito sa larangang ito ng sexual exploitation of children (It hurts to admit but we are leading the world in sexual exploitation of children),” he lamented.
“That is data culled from different international agencies,” he said. “Actually alam na ng buong mundo ito halos (Almost the entire world knows this). The law enforcement agencies around the world know this that tayo talaga ang favorite place ng mga ganito (we are favorites concerning this), these perverts who like exploiting the children,” he stressed.
“It is not a source of pride. It is a source of shame. That’s why we want to end this,” Remulla emphasized.
He pointed out that OSAEC is happening “across all regions” in the country with sexual predators usually from European countries.
Prior the holding of the press conference, Remulla said he has talked with DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo, DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. and DICT Secretary Ivan John Uy for the government to put up a comprehensive approach in dealing with OSAEC.
“This comprehensive approach is the new thing about it. The comprehensive approach is the one that will get things done,” he said.
Thus, Remulla appealed to companies as well as to the public to help in the government’s fight.
“Sana po ay makiisa kayo sa amin dito (We hope you join us in this endeavor),” he urged.
He said telecommunication companies and internet providers can contribute in the fight by blocking such activities.
He warned: “If there are people who do not cooperate but have direct or indirect participation, we will not hesitate to charge anybody who helped perpetuate a crime of this nature. We will not hesitate to prosecute anybody who cooperates directly or indirectly to this nature.”
“Centainty of punishment” is what would deter people from committing such crimes, he said.
Also, he said that even before he assumed his post his secretary “this was discussed already” with President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.
“Sa pamumuno ng aming bagong secretary, sinabi po niya na isa sa mga priority cases na dapat pagtuunan ng pansin ng National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) ay ang OSEC, online sexual exploitation of children (Under the leadership of our new justice secretary, one of the priority cases of the NBI should be OSEC, the online sexual exploitation of children),” said NBI Director Medardo G. De Lemos.
De Lemos cited that since 2019 “ang NBI po ay naka-secure ng 29 convictions sa OSEC cases (the NBI has secured 29 convictions in OSAEC cases).”
He added that “since 2019 nagkaroon po tayo ng 46 active investigations sa child pornography (Since 2019 we have 46 active investigations on child pornography).”
“Kami ay nakikipagtulungan sa lahat ng ahensiya sa ating bansa, sa ating counterparts dito sa ating bansa at mga counterparts din natin sa ibang bansa na siyang nagbibigay din sa atin ng mga impormasyon tungkol dito sa mga OSAEC cases (We are also cooperating with all agencies in the country, our counterparts in the country and in other countries which have been providing information concerning OSAEC cases),” he also said.
DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix L. Ty, the undersecretary in charge of IACAT, said Republic Act No. 11862 made significant amendments to the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children Act.
“Tingin ko pinaka-importanteng amandment diyan ay yung pag-identify ng (I think the important amendments made have been identifying) OSAEC as its own crime, giving it its own definition, broadening the scope of OSAEC to cover those developments in child pornography that came about because of changes in technology,” Ty said.