“Collaboration between local law enforcement and international law
enforcement is crucial in ensuring that the victims of online sexual
exploitation receive justice,” said lawyer John Tanagho, field office director
of IJM-Cebu City, on Friday.
Tanagho noted that a senior investigator from the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police (RCMP) Internet Child Exploitation division came all the way
from Canada to Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) to testify at the Regional Trial
Court Branch 10 in Abuyog, Leyte against a suspected online trafficker, who was
arrested in the neighboring town of McArthur late last year.
“We’re grateful for the support of the RCMP in this prosecution.
That they traveled all the way to Leyte shows their deep commitment and
professionalism,” Tanagho said.
IJM reported that on May 31, 2018, Corporal Jared Clarke,
accompanied by RCMP liaison officer Jay Schooley, arrived in the province “to
authenticate the referral letter RCMP sent to the Philippine National Police
(PNP).”
“It is an investigation like this which demonstrates the
international and border-less nature of ICE (Internet Child Exploitation)
investigations. Saskatchewan is not immune to these horrific crimes. Through
our international ICE partners, we can bring offenders to justice almost
anywhere,” said Staff Sgt. Scott Lambie of the Saskatchewan Integrated Child
Exploitation Unit in Saskatchewan province in Canada.
“Corporal Clarke of our unit recently travelled to Leyte province
to testify at an ICE trial and conduct important child exploitation training
locally. While in the Philippines, he also had the opportunity to meet with
some rescued victims -- a rare and rewarding experience. We want to thank our
international partners for the work they continue to do to rescue victims and prosecute
offenders,” added Lambie in a statement.
The referral letter led to a PNP investigation and entrapment
operation wherein Lorna (real was withheld because one of the victims is her
daughter) was arrested on Nov. 10, 2017 by the PNP Women and Children
Protection Center’s (WCPC) Visayas field unit.
IJM said Lorna allegedly produced and transmitted sexually
explicit images of children to foreigners overseas in exchange for money. She
was caught by police in the act of offering to perform sex acts on her own
eight-year-old daughter and livestream those acts from her house in McArthur,
Leyte.
The police operation last November also saw the rescue of nine
children, with ages ranging from two to nine, from online sexual exploitation.
IJM added that Clarke’s court testimony came four days after the
arrest of Lorna’s spouse who was a village councilor in McArthur during the
time of the operation.
The husband, who was not around during the November operation, was
served an arrest warrant by personnel of the McArthur Police last May 27. Both
Lorna and her husband were charged with qualified trafficking under Republic
Act (RA) No. 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act as amended by RA
10364.
IJM expressed their gratitude to other government agencies that
collaborated during the operation, including the Interagency Council Against
Trafficking Region 8, the Leyte Police, Leyte Women and Children’s Protection
Desk (WCPD), Leyte Provincial Public Safety Company, and the Department of
Social Welfare and Development’s regional office here.
Online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) can cause severe
psychological trauma on children and sometimes, physical injuries, said
Rebelander Basilan, partnership development coordinator of IJM-Cebu City.
“Rescued victims of OSEC need many social services, including
therapy and rehabilitation. OSEC victims would only be returned to the
community after a comprehensive family home and risk assessment is conducted to
confirm that the home is a safe place for the children and that they will no
longer be sexually abused or exploited by their parents or relatives,” he said.
As of last month, the group worked with Philippine law enforcement
agencies in various operations that led to the arrest of 135 suspected OSEC
traffickers and the rescue of 319 victims around the country since 2011.
IJM reported that at least 35 accused have already been convicted
for trafficking children into online sexual exploitation in the Philippines.
On Feb. 23 this year, IJM, along with the National Bureau of Investigation
Anti-Human Trafficking Division and other government authorities, also helped
in the arrest of three suspected traffickers in two separate entrapment
operations in Tacloban City and in Culaba, Biliran province.
The operations led to the rescue of nine minors aged 4 to 17, and
four other adults. (ROR/PNA)
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