CEBU CITY – Multiple criminal charges were filed against a woman here who allegedly abused her four-year-old daughter through online sexual exploitation.
The National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI 7) discovered the woman’s illegal activity after a Norwegian national was arrested in his country for possession of what the agency called child sexual abuse materials (CSAMs).
The girl was rescued when NBI-7 agents raided the woman’s house in Barangay Suba last Nov. 2.
Manila Bulletin is withholding the name of the suspect to protect her daughter’s identity.
Charges for violation of Republic Act (RA) 9208, the Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, RA 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act 2002, and RA 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 were filed against the suspect last Dec. 2.
The NBI-7 said the woman could only be arrested once an arrest warrant is issued by the court against her.
Last Oct. 10, the NBI-Anti Human Trafficking Division received information from the National Criminal Investigation Service in Norway through the Nordic Liaison Office in Manila about an alleged online sexual exploitation of children activity that “was committed and still being committed” by certain Filipino facilitators.
The information was coursed through the Philippine Internet Crimes against Children Center.
The information stemmed from the arrest of Norwegian national Raymond Harper who was caught possessing CSAMs last June 28.
After an examination, authorities discovered that Harper’s gadgets contained “voluminous CSAMs.”
The NBI-7 said it was discovered that the CSAMS found in the possession of Harper were sent by a Filipino through WhatsApp. The WhatsApp number was traced to the suspect living in Cebu City.
Authorities discovered that the woman sent Harper lewd photos and videos of children for a fee. The financial transactions were discovered based on their communication on WhatsApp.
The Department of Justice-Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking applied for a Warrant to Search, Seize, and Examine Computer Data before the Regional Trial Court Branch 1 in Cebu City.
Authorities, including personnel of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, implemented the warrant last Dec. 2 that led to the child’s rescue.
“It was evident that the subject offered her child for the purpose of sexual exploitation with the use of Information and Communications Technology,” the NBI-7 said.
The lewd acts included the woman filming herself inserting her finger in her daughter’s private parts. The video would then be sent to her foreign customers, the NBI-7 said.
“The subject utilized social media platform to offer the minor victims to paying foreign customers for the purpose of production and selling CSAMs in exchange for money,” the NBI-7 added.