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A congresswoman has called for stronger financial intelligence monitoring against online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) following the conviction of a French animator who, for years, ordered the livestreamed rape of Filipino children. 

"The conviction of French animator Bouhalem Bouchiba for ordering the rape of Filipino children through livestreaming platforms is deeply disturbing and highlights the urgent need to strengthen our financial monitoring systems against OSEC," said Gabriela Party-list Rep. Arlene Brosas. 

"The fact that this predator was able to facilitate these heinous crimes for nearly a decade through money transfers is absolutely unacceptable," Brosas noted. 

According to the Makabayan solon, the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) should redirect its resources toward tracking suspicious financial transactions linked to OSEC instead of targeting legitimate activist organizations. 

The AMLC recently froze the account of multi-awarded NGO Leyte Center for Development Inc., including the bank account of its Executive Director Jazmin Jerusalem, after being accused by the military of having links to communist insurgency. 

"Instead of red-tagging progressive organizations and freezing their accounts, the AMLC should focus on identifying money trails connected to OSAEC syndicates who exploit our children. Our financial intelligence units must work double time to detect and prevent real criminal transactions that enable sexual violence against Filipino children," Brosas said. 

Brosas said that the Marcos administration should be held accountable for neglecting to prioritize the safety and welfare of children, which has led to more rampant cases of OSAEC in the country. 

"We demand justice for all Filipino children victimized by foreign predators who take advantage of poverty in our country. We must strengthen our laws against OSEC and ensure proper implementation of Republic Act (RA) No.11930 or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children Law," she said.