United States-based social media platforms have been cooperative in disclosing the identities of accounts which commit online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), the Department of Justice-Office of Cybercrime (DOJ-OOC) said on Tuesday, Aug. 30.
State Counsel Gerald Vincent A. Sosa of the DOJ-OOC made the assurance after the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) submitted the warrants to disclose computer data (WDCD) issued by a cybercrime court in Manila that ordered social media giants Facebook and YouTube to release subscriber information, chats, images and other content posted on social media on the accounts of “Usapang Diskarte.”
“Pag may mga ganitong insidente agad naman po silang nagko-comply especially ganitong mga child sexual exploitation cases and terrorism (In such cases they immediately comply, especially, if it concerns child sexual exploitation cases and terrorism),” Sosa said.
He also assured that the government will run after those behind OSAEC.
“Kung tingin ninyo safe kayo dahil yung pagko-conduct ninyo ng exploitation ng bata online lang, hindi kayo mahuhuli, mahuhuli at mahuhuli po kayo (If you think your exploitation of children is done only online and you will not be caught, you will be caught),” he warned.
“Nandito kami para protektahan po ang mga bata at gagawin po namin ang makakaya namin para makulong po kayo (We are here to protect the children and we will do everything we can to put you behind bars),” he stressed.
He also said the government has intensified its fight against OSAEC through Republic Act No. 11930 or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) Law.
The PNP-ACG sought the issuance of the warrants from the court after learning that “Usapang Diskarte” accounts in Facebook and YouTube have been uploading contents promoting sexual abuse and exploitation of children.
Though the accounts have been taken down, these have reached over 250,000 subscribers and followers connected to a group of sexual predators.
Sosa explained that the DOJ-OOC serves as the “central authority in all matters relating to international cooperation and extradition relating to cybercrime and cyber-related offenses.”
“Kami ang nagse-serve sa mga foreign companies ng ating warrant (We serve the warrants issued here in the Philippines to foreign companies),” he said.
Warrants are served through the law enforcement portals of the social media platforms and, thus, there is no need to go through foreign governments like the US, he added.
“Hindi po kailangan unless i-require nila mag-undergo ng tinatawag nating Mutual Legal Assistance request (There is no need to pass through the foreign government unless the social media platforms asks that the case goes through the Mutual Legal Assistance request),” he also said.