NBI arrests 3 suspected online sexual abusers of children, rescues 5 kids in Davao Oriental
Three persons, who were reportedly engaged in online sexual abuse and exploitation of children, have been arrested while five minors have been rescued by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in Davao Oriental.
Those arrested, whose names were withheld, were apprehended in Mati City by the operatives of the NBI’s Human Trafficking Division (HTRAD), South Eastern Mindanao Regional Office (SEMRO), and NBI-Digital Forensic Laboratory (DFL) during the service of a Warrant to Search, Seize, and Examine Computer Data (WSSECD) issued by Davao City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 32.
In a statement, the NBI said that during the operation, “all five minor children were rescued and transferred to DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) custody for interview and formal statement-taking.”
It said that two of those arrested are husband and wife and the parents of the three rescued children. Another man arrested is the brother of the husband and father of two young girls.
The NBI said: “A detailed search of the residence resulted in the seizure of multiple mobile phones, a tablet, and a computer with a webcam setup. Various sex toys of different forms and sizes were also recovered.”
It said that onsite forensic examinations of the seized devices showed there were child sexual abuse and exploitation materials, and chat logs with clients.
It added the operation was done after the Belgian Police referred a case of a Filipina who was suspected of producing and distributing Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) in exchange for monetary compensation.
In its referral letter, the Belgian Police said that a Belgian national had been arrested and agreed to cooperate in the investigation.
Charges of violations of Section 4(r) of Republic Act (RA) No. 11930, the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse Materials Act of 2022, in relation to Section 6 of RA No. 10175, the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, will be filed against the three arrested suspects, the NBI said.