Cebu couple arrested for allegedly exploiting 5-year-old online

Local

A COUPPLE in Barangay Tisa, Cebu City landed behind bars after being accused of exploiting their own five-year-old child online for profit, law enforcers said on Monday, Oct. 5.

The National Bureau of Investigation-Central Visayas (NBI-7) confirmed the arrest of a 25-year-old woman and her live-in partner, also 25, in an anti-online sexual abuse against children (OSAEC) raid in Sitio Tambisan, Tisa last Sept. 30.

The child was rescued during the operation and placed under the protective custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas.

The names of the suspects and the child had been withheld in compliance with laws protecting the identities of victims and individuals involved in sensitive cases.

NBI-7 said the operation stemmed from information provided by the U.S. government’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Manila concerning the alleged online distribution and sale of child sexual abuse material in the Philippines.

The information prompted NBI-7 to investigate and identify individuals allegedly involved in the activity in Cebu City.

Authorities then secured a search warrant from Judge Jose Nathaniel Andal of the Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 24 on Sept. 29, a day before the operation.

NBI-7 said the woman worked as an online seller, while her live-in partner worked as an e-bike driver.

Authorities said they would continue monitoring for possible OSAEC activities in Cebu and pursuing individuals allegedly involved in the online sexual exploitation of children.(RBE)