Cebu: Nbi Rescues 3 Girls, Boy Paid To Strip In Front Of Web Camera

[Guest OceanBreeze]

4 MINORS IN CYBERSEX

Child pornography takes place in the privacy of homes that run Internet shops. In barangay Pasil, Cebu City, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) rescued four minors who were paid to strip in front of a web camera. Monday night's raid resulted in the arrest of the house owner, Catherine, (not her real name), 29, and a 29-year-old male companion. Catherine's live-in partner , James, who was drinking otuside the house, eluded arrest. Three girls, aged 9, 12 and 17, and a 17-year-old boy were taken into protective custody. During an interview in the presence of NBI agents, the nine-year-old girl told Cebu Daily News that Tim would pay her P200 a day for posing in front of the web camera. She said her parents didn't know about it. Acccording to the NBI, the children were told to strip and touch themselves before the web camera while foreigners watched them through the computer. "We caught them (children) enflagrante delicto (in the act) chatting on line with foreign nationals. A foreign couple was engaged in sex while another foreign national was performing lewd activities through the computer," said NBI-7 Agent Bernard dela Cruz, team leader of the operation. A computer with a web camera can show two-way images of the users. Dela Cruz said he saw on the computer screen images of a couple having sex while another foreigner was fondling himself while looking at the children. One girl was reportedly asked to bare her breast in front of the camera, but wasn't paid, according to the NBI agent. The NBI 7 was tipped off about a cybersex operation going on in Catherine's house last year. They placed the house under surveillance for two weeks in January before making the raid at 11 p.m. Monday. The minors willl be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). NBI-7 director Medardo de Lemos said the agency is looking deeper to determine if the parents would be held liable for the activity. "We still have to study if we have to return the children to their parents. We don't have the guarantee that they will not be sold to cybersex operators," De Lemos said. He urged the public to be vigilant. "We need the public's help especially that cybersex activities are done secretly," he said. "Poverty should not be used to expose children to cybersex activities. Never use poverty as a reason to gain money." Catherine denied the allegations against her. She said she has operated an Internet cafe inside her home since 2008 but had no control over what her customers do. "They often use the computers for games and research. We don't notice what else they do and what websites they open," she said in Cebuano. Customers pay P1 for five minutes of Internet use. The house owner said she was ready to face the charges. She said the children come to the house of their own free will. Tim, who says he's a close friend of Catherine, was identified by the NBI-7 as the "mamasang" or recruiter who would bring the children to the house for cyberspace pornography. Tim denied the charge. An informant filed a complaint in Jan. 20, 2009 with the NBI that "cybersex for a fee" was going on in the house in Pasil. The case wasn't looked into right away due to the NBI's heavy work load. A surveillance operation took place a year later on Jan. 25 to Feb. 7, 2010. The Internet shop operated out of the couple's house. Two computer units on the second floor were allegedly used for cyberpornography. Other computer units were on the ground floor. During the surveillance, NBI-7 agents noticed that minors would come in and out of the house from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. The children would start posing nude about 10 p.m. Tim would allegedly assist children who don't know how to operate the computer and pay them after every session. In Monday's raid, 15 NBI-7 agents entered the house about 11 p.m. and noticed three children going inside the house. On the second floor they found four children chatting online with foreigners ,who were seen in the computer screen performing lewd activities. NBI agents seized five computer monitors, its Central Processing Unit (CPU), and two web cameras. Monday's cybersex raid was the second conducted by the NBI-7. In July 2009, the agency rescued three girls and a 22-year-old woman who were allegedly asked to perform sexual acts in front of a web camera inside the residence of a young Lapu-Lapu City official. The official's mother was also arrested during the raid. The case, however, was dismissed by the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutors' Office after the complainants withdrew from the case. The case was weakened by the fact that the children were not caught in the act of performing lewd activities during the raid.Source: cdn.ph

[Mr Lee]

There are some sick perverts in this world and it is just a shame that some of them prey on young Filipinos and the only answer is to alleviate poverty in the Philippines.And a follow up to this storyAfter Raid In Barangay Pasil: US agents check cybersex patrons Federal agents of the United States of America yesterday met with local counterparts following a successful raid of a suspected cybersex den in barangay Pasil where four children paid to strip in front of a web camera were rescued.full story here

[Jollygoodfellow]

There are some sick perverts in this world and it is just a shame that some of them prey on young Filipinos and the only answer is to alleviate poverty in the Philippines.And a follow up to this storyAfter Raid In Barangay Pasil: US agents check cybersex patrons Federal agents of the United States of America yesterday met with local counterparts following a successful raid of a suspected cybersex den in barangay Pasil where four children paid to strip in front of a web camera were rescued.full story here

During an interview in the presence of NBI agents, the nine-year-old girl told Cebu Daily News that Tim would pay her P200 a day for posing in front of the web camera. She said her parents didn't know about it.

As usual there are more questions,P200 a day and her parents did not know,a nine year old has 200 a day to spend,hmmm

[softail]

Now just where did the parents think there nine year old was at that time of night?Doug and Sally

[TheMason]

As usual, even the law enforcement success stories here are interlaced with stunning failures and ignorance.

"Never use poverty as a reason to gain money."

Yes, that is how it works in the Philippines. The poor cannot use their poverty as a reason to gain money. However, the wealthy can use their wealth as a reason to gain even more money. Its a great system in place here.

An informant filed a complaint in Jan. 20, 2009 with the NBI that "cybersex for a fee" was going on in the house in Pasil. The case wasn't looked into right away due to the NBI's heavy work load. A surveillance operation took place a year later on Jan. 25 to Feb. 7, 2010.

I wonder why they bothered to get their thumb out of their a$$ and investigate it now. They had a tip for a year that something was going on in that house and sat on the tip for a year. Makes me wonder if someone didn't pay off on time or the house owners insulted someone. Given the lag in taking action, I seriously doubt that protecting the children was the true motivation of the surveillance and raid.

In July 2009, the agency rescued three girls and a 22-year-old woman who were allegedly asked to perform sexual acts in front of a web camera inside the residence of a young Lapu-Lapu City official. The official's mother was also arrested during the raid. The case, however, was dismissed by the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutors' Office after the complainants withdrew from the case. The case was weakened by the fact that the children were not caught in the act of performing lewd activities during the raid.

This part of the story says more about the Philippines desire and ability to crack down on the child sex trade more than the main part of the story does. What a shock...the case against a govt. official was dropped for lack of evidence. Edited February 11, 2010 by TheMason

[Mr Lee]

This appears to answer some unanswered questions. A 10-year-old girl, who admitted being one of those exploited by the suspects arrested by the NBI during the Monday evening raid, was invited together with her mother to give her statement at the NBI office.According to the child, she started to strip in front of the web camera for a fee when she was still eight years old. The child said the money she earned from posing naked go to her motlink to this storyLets face it, in the Philippines some poor parents seem to exploit their children and often by the guilt trips they put on them which leads some to then begging for money and others being sent out to work at a young age as maids, nanny's or whatever, and all so they can send their money home. There culture seems to feel these things are the correct way to support themselves. So what can be done to change this part of the culture so these things do not happen?

[TheMason]

This appears to answer some unanswered questions. A 10-year-old girl, who admitted being one of those exploited by the suspects arrested by the NBI during the Monday evening raid, was invited together with her mother to give her statement at the NBI office.According to the child, she started to strip in front of the web camera for a fee when she was still eight years old. The child said the money she earned from posing naked go to her motlink to this storyLets face it, in the Philippines some poor parents seem to exploit their children and often by the guilt trips they put on them which leads some to then begging for money and others being sent out to work at a young age as maids, nanny's or whatever, and all so they can send their money home. There culture seems to feel these things are the correct way to support themselves. So what can be done to change this part of the culture so these things do not happen?

My comments excludes sex workers. I'm not advocating children be employed in the sex trade, I'm talking about other forms of child labor.I think its a bit harsh to call sending children away as maids or nannys exploitation. In many cases, parents try to work but are not likely to be able to support their family on what they can make in the Philippines. In this story, the father is attempting to support a family of 11 (9 kids, 2 parents) by driving a trike. That is not likely to earn him enough money to adequately feed, clothe, and shelter his family. When faced with extreme poverty situations sending a child away to work is often the best thing for both family and child. At least when the kids are sent to work as maids or yayas they get food and shelter provided to them. In many cases, working is the only way these kids have a shot at having the basic needs of life met.Which is the lesser evil as a parent, sending your child away to work as a maid or yaya, or having them remain at home to face malnutrition and grinding poverty?I also don't think its fair to call child labor a part of Filipino culture. Its not their culture that drives parents to do this, its poverty. If it were cultural, the rich and middle class would be sending their kids off to work as well, and that doesn't happen.

[manabouttown]

4 MINORS IN CYBERSEX

Child pornography takes place in the privacy of homes that run Internet shops. In barangay Pasil, Cebu City, agents of the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) rescued four minors who were paid to strip in front of a web camera. Monday night's raid resulted in the arrest of the house owner, Catherine, (not her real name), 29, and a 29-year-old male companion. Catherine's live-in partner , James, who was drinking otuside the house, eluded arrest. Three girls, aged 9, 12 and 17, and a 17-year-old boy were taken into protective custody. During an interview in the presence of NBI agents, the nine-year-old girl told Cebu Daily News that Tim would pay her P200 a day for posing in front of the web camera. She said her parents didn't know about it. Acccording to the NBI, the children were told to strip and touch themselves before the web camera while foreigners watched them through the computer. "We caught them (children) enflagrante delicto (in the act) chatting on line with foreign nationals. A foreign couple was engaged in sex while another foreign national was performing lewd activities through the computer," said NBI-7 Agent Bernard dela Cruz, team leader of the operation. A computer with a web camera can show two-way images of the users. Dela Cruz said he saw on the computer screen images of a couple having sex while another foreigner was fondling himself while looking at the children. One girl was reportedly asked to bare her breast in front of the camera, but wasn't paid, according to the NBI agent. The NBI 7 was tipped off about a cybersex operation going on in Catherine's house last year. They placed the house under surveillance for two weeks in January before making the raid at 11 p.m. Monday. The minors willl be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). NBI-7 director Medardo de Lemos said the agency is looking deeper to determine if the parents would be held liable for the activity. "We still have to study if we have to return the children to their parents. We don't have the guarantee that they will not be sold to cybersex operators," De Lemos said. He urged the public to be vigilant. "We need the public's help especially that cybersex activities are done secretly," he said. "Poverty should not be used to expose children to cybersex activities. Never use poverty as a reason to gain money." Catherine denied the allegations against her. She said she has operated an Internet cafe inside her home since 2008 but had no control over what her customers do. "They often use the computers for games and research. We don't notice what else they do and what websites they open," she said in Cebuano. Customers pay P1 for five minutes of Internet use. The house owner said she was ready to face the charges. She said the children come to the house of their own free will. Tim, who says he's a close friend of Catherine, was identified by the NBI-7 as the "mamasang" or recruiter who would bring the children to the house for cyberspace pornography. Tim denied the charge. An informant filed a complaint in Jan. 20, 2009 with the NBI that "cybersex for a fee" was going on in the house in Pasil. The case wasn't looked into right away due to the NBI's heavy work load. A surveillance operation took place a year later on Jan. 25 to Feb. 7, 2010. The Internet shop operated out of the couple's house. Two computer units on the second floor were allegedly used for cyberpornography. Other computer units were on the ground floor. During the surveillance, NBI-7 agents noticed that minors would come in and out of the house from 9 p.m. until 2 a.m. The children would start posing nude about 10 p.m. Tim would allegedly assist children who don't know how to operate the computer and pay them after every session. In Monday's raid, 15 NBI-7 agents entered the house about 11 p.m. and noticed three children going inside the house. On the second floor they found four children chatting online with foreigners ,who were seen in the computer screen performing lewd activities. NBI agents seized five computer monitors, its Central Processing Unit (CPU), and two web cameras. Monday's cybersex raid was the second conducted by the NBI-7. In July 2009, the agency rescued three girls and a 22-year-old woman who were allegedly asked to perform sexual acts in front of a web camera inside the residence of a young Lapu-Lapu City official. The official's mother was also arrested during the raid. The case, however, was dismissed by the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutors' Office after the complainants withdrew from the case. The case was weakened by the fact that the children were not caught in the act of performing lewd activities during the raid.Source: cdn.ph

Hi to AllThis is a disgusting operation run by a Filipino but the news always shoots the foreigner first,would this same video footage be available to Filipino Internet users as well?I would say yes and no one can tell me that Filipinos are no different, there are good and bad people world wide who indulge in such filthy porn.i think it was last year that i read a news article about a group of Filipino men had been watching a porn movie then raped a young girl,killed her and threw her in the river.Not just the foreigner who is the scum on earth

[TheMason]

Hi to AllThis is a disgusting operation run by a Filipino but the news always shoots the foreigner first,would this same video footage be available to Filipino Internet users as well?I would say yes and no one can tell me that Filipinos are no different, there are good and bad people world wide who indulge in such filthy porn.i think it was last year that i read a news article about a group of Filipino men had been watching a porn movie then raped a young girl,killed her and threw her in the river.Not just the foreigner who is the scum on earth :thumbs-up-smile:

I don't know....the Filipino govt. and media always tell us that Filipinos are saintly creatures and foreigners are filthy scumbags. I mean just look at this case...if those nasty white foreigners hadn't been jerking off on the cam, I'm sure the kids would have been outside playing tag or helping their mother raise their 8 siblings instead of stripping naked. And that lovely Filipino couple that ran the cafe and owned the house....I mean really, its not their fault the foreign pricks waved money in front of their face. They're just innocent, helpless Filipinos....how could they be expected not to turn the neighborhood children into sexworkers with those damn foreigners tempting them with money? Its a damn shame how the foreigners are raping this country and abusing those poor Filipinos.

[Jollygoodfellow]

Hi to AllThis is a disgusting operation run by a Filipino but the news always shoots the foreigner first,would this same video footage be available to Filipino Internet users as well?I would say yes and no one can tell me that Filipinos are no different, there are good and bad people world wide who indulge in such filthy porn.i think it was last year that i read a news article about a group of Filipino men had been watching a porn movie then raped a young girl,killed her and threw her in the river.Not just the foreigner who is the scum on earth :lol:

I don't know....the Filipino govt. and media always tell us that Filipinos are saintly creatures and foreigners are filthy scumbags. I mean just look at this case...if those nasty white foreigners hadn't been jerking off on the cam, I'm sure the kids would have been outside playing tag or helping their mother raise their 8 siblings instead of stripping naked. And that lovely Filipino couple that ran the cafe and owned the house....I mean really, its not their fault the foreign pricks waved money in front of their face. They're just innocent, helpless Filipinos....how could they be expected not to turn the neighborhood children into sexworkers with those damn foreigners tempting them with money? Its a damn shame how the foreigners are raping this country and abusing those poor Filipinos.

:thumbs-up-smile: well said,but so sad and true :thumbs-up-smile: