A lawyer has been arrested for alleged online sexual abuse of children in Zamboanga City where authorities also rescued three minors, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) said on Monday, March 31.

In a statement, the IACAT identified the suspect as lawyer Michel P. Molino, also a certified public accountant and realtor, who was arrested last March 26 at his residence during a joint operation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) with the support of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) and a non-government organization (NBO) Exodus Philippines.

“Molina was apprehended following an extensive cyber-surveillance and intelligence operation,” said the IACAT which is headed by the DOJ.

The council said "the operating team rescued three minors from his premises and identified six additional victims, some of whom are now adults, all believed to have suffered sexual abuse."

The rescued minors have been turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), it also said.

Molina faces charges for violations of Republic Act (RA) 9208, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, as amended; RA 11930, the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act; and RA 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.

The IACAT said that an initial examination of the items seized during the operation showed that “Molina’s exploitation of children may have started in 2012.”

It said that “in-depth forensic examination of his devices will be performed as data recovered suggests that his collection and production of child abuse materials may have started as early as 2002.”

Meanwhile, the IACAT urged the public “to remain vigilant and report any suspected cases of child exploitation to the DOJ, the NBI, or local law enforcement agencies.”