AGENTS of the Cyber Crime Division of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), the Philippines, arrested 31 individuals allegedly involved in child pornography in three separate operations that started late on Monday.
Director Ronald Aguto Jr., director of the Cyber Crime Division, said that non-bailable charges, covered by R.A. 9725 or Anti-Child pornography Act of 2009, were filed against the suspects.
Agusto said that nine individuals were frisked at Mountaintop Christian Academy aside from the confiscation of more than 40 desktop computers.
Nine people were arrested and 17 desktop computers were confiscated at PA Microsource Inc. located along Congressional Avenue in Quezon City, the official said. He added that the office disguised as a call center.
Aguto said that what was surprising in their operation, which started at about 11 p.m. on Monday and ended at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday, was the discovery of the cyber sex den right inside a school in Victoria Homes, Barangay Tunasan, Muntinlupa City.
“The modus operandi was to take pictures of nude children, save them in a profile and sell to foreign websites. In this way they get commissions,” Aguto told The Manila Times.
He said about 75 cyber sex hubs are doing this type of scheme in the country which his team is closely monitoring at present.
Aguto shared that the other two cyber sex hubs they raided were actually marketing sites of internet-based porn materials.
“The call center agents actually offer porn sites to possible customers here and abroad. They have access to accounts and show sexy models. In exchange, they get commission from porn site firms, mostly based in the United States,” Aguto said, adding that they are also validating reports that some porn sites are based in the Philippines.
“There are Filipinas in nude photos, so it is possible that some sites are based here,” he said.
Also, Aguto’s team also raided an apartment along Quirino Highway in Novaliches, Quezon City where they arrested 13 individuals and confiscated 11 desktop computers.
He said they are still validating if live shows were offered in the apartment.
Aguto added that they might tap some suspects as witnesses since two of those raided were suspected members of a syndicate.
“With the help of these witnesses, we might uncover their nationwide operation,” he said.
He said based on their interviews, some of those arrested were new recruits or trainees to be deployed in other branches.
“Since they are the less guilty, we might tap them so we could get more information vital for our follow up operations,” said Aguto, who has been with NBI for 15 years.
He added that the syndicates have been operating for three to four years already.
Meanwhile, lawyer Puring Martinez, owner of the Mountaintop Christian Academy, told reporters that she rented out the room to the group to generate some funds because the school’s income from tuition fees is not enough.
The school had 2,000 elementary and high school students, Aguto added. Its license was revoked in 2006 for unknown reasons but it had remained open.
In an interview with the Inquirer, Martinez admitted that two rooms in the school were used as Internet shops that had “chat rooms (for) naughty and sexy exchange with adult customers.”
She said proceeds from this operation were used to pay for the maintenance of the school and to finance its scholars.
While Ferdinand Abejon, operator of the cybersex den, denied his firm is involved in criminal activity. He said he has not employed female individuals and his computers do not have webcams.
“It was like a computer lab inside the school,” Aguto told Associated Press in a phone interview. “Even during daytime, when the pupils were there, they were using it for this kind of offense.”
He said the site operators worked day and night, chatting online with clients and pretending to be women or girls depending on what the client wanted. They would then upload pictures and prerecorded video of a nude girl or woman they claim to be.
The Philippines has rapidly become a major hub of the billion-dollar global child cyber sex industry, where children as young as six years old were victims of abuse due to widespread poverty, sometimes with the consent of their parents. Sometimes with the participation of their parents!!
Most people who pay to view the Philippine-made porn websites are from the United States and Europe. The western world is so civilized! Please pray my 3:15 PM prayer or something similar.
Director Ronald Aguto Jr., director of the Cyber Crime Division, said that non-bailable charges, covered by R.A. 9725 or Anti-Child pornography Act of 2009, were filed against the suspects.
Agusto said that nine individuals were frisked at Mountaintop Christian Academy aside from the confiscation of more than 40 desktop computers.
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| Arrested workers were forced to carry their computers |
Aguto said that what was surprising in their operation, which started at about 11 p.m. on Monday and ended at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday, was the discovery of the cyber sex den right inside a school in Victoria Homes, Barangay Tunasan, Muntinlupa City.
“The modus operandi was to take pictures of nude children, save them in a profile and sell to foreign websites. In this way they get commissions,” Aguto told The Manila Times.
He said about 75 cyber sex hubs are doing this type of scheme in the country which his team is closely monitoring at present.
Aguto shared that the other two cyber sex hubs they raided were actually marketing sites of internet-based porn materials.
“The call center agents actually offer porn sites to possible customers here and abroad. They have access to accounts and show sexy models. In exchange, they get commission from porn site firms, mostly based in the United States,” Aguto said, adding that they are also validating reports that some porn sites are based in the Philippines.
“There are Filipinas in nude photos, so it is possible that some sites are based here,” he said.
Also, Aguto’s team also raided an apartment along Quirino Highway in Novaliches, Quezon City where they arrested 13 individuals and confiscated 11 desktop computers.
He said they are still validating if live shows were offered in the apartment.
Aguto added that they might tap some suspects as witnesses since two of those raided were suspected members of a syndicate.
“With the help of these witnesses, we might uncover their nationwide operation,” he said.
He said based on their interviews, some of those arrested were new recruits or trainees to be deployed in other branches.
“Since they are the less guilty, we might tap them so we could get more information vital for our follow up operations,” said Aguto, who has been with NBI for 15 years.
He added that the syndicates have been operating for three to four years already.
Meanwhile, lawyer Puring Martinez, owner of the Mountaintop Christian Academy, told reporters that she rented out the room to the group to generate some funds because the school’s income from tuition fees is not enough.
The school had 2,000 elementary and high school students, Aguto added. Its license was revoked in 2006 for unknown reasons but it had remained open.
In an interview with the Inquirer, Martinez admitted that two rooms in the school were used as Internet shops that had “chat rooms (for) naughty and sexy exchange with adult customers.”
She said proceeds from this operation were used to pay for the maintenance of the school and to finance its scholars.
While Ferdinand Abejon, operator of the cybersex den, denied his firm is involved in criminal activity. He said he has not employed female individuals and his computers do not have webcams.
“It was like a computer lab inside the school,” Aguto told Associated Press in a phone interview. “Even during daytime, when the pupils were there, they were using it for this kind of offense.”
He said the site operators worked day and night, chatting online with clients and pretending to be women or girls depending on what the client wanted. They would then upload pictures and prerecorded video of a nude girl or woman they claim to be.
The Philippines has rapidly become a major hub of the billion-dollar global child cyber sex industry, where children as young as six years old were victims of abuse due to widespread poverty, sometimes with the consent of their parents. Sometimes with the participation of their parents!!
Most people who pay to view the Philippine-made porn websites are from the United States and Europe. The western world is so civilized! Please pray my 3:15 PM prayer or something similar.
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