MABALACAT PAMPANGA— On October 27,2020 Philippine law enforcers conducted a sting operation that led to the arrest of a 41-year-old woman offering to livestream the live sexual abuse of her three daughters in exchange for money. The rescue was then carried out by the Women and Children Protection Center’s Luzon Field Unit (WCPC-LFU) led by Officer-in-Charge PLTCOL Lucrecio Rodrigueza Jr under the overall supervision of WCPC Chief PBGEN Alessandro Abella in coordination with the Mabalacat Central Police Station (CPS), Mabalacat City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWD) and supported by International Justice Mission (IJM).

The arrested suspect was then brought to Camp Crame and will be charged for violations of RA 9208 (Anti- Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012) as amended by RA 10364, in relation to RA 10175 (Cybercrime Prevention Act) and RA 9775 (Anti Child Pornography Act), and RA 7610 (Anti-Child Abuse Act). The three rescued minors are all female with ages 14, 16 and 17 years old. They were subjected to rapid testing to rule out infection from COVID-19 and are now receiving proper trauma-informed interventions under the care of the CSWDO.

“I would like to commend the brave men and women that serve under the Women and Children Protection Center Luzon Field Unit and the cooperation of their provincial counterparts to rescue these three girls from Online Sexual Exploitation. Rest assured they are now in a place of safety where they can recover from this dark ordeal,” said WCPC Chief PBGEN Alessandro Abella, referring to the 3 children rescued above.

“I am just delighted that these three children were saved from online sexual from perpetrators who abuse them in exchange for money, even if the perpetrators are their own mothers, we will not stop in pursuing justice for their sakes” said WCPC-LFU OIC PLTCOL Lucrecio Rodrigueza referring to the three rescued daughters of the suspect.

This is WCPC’s second operation after the Remote Accelerated Casework Event (RACE). The RACE is an online and onsite training program for local police officers taught by foreign law enforcement partners and IJM to enhance skills in investigating online sexual exploitation cases.

*One may report a suspected case of online sexual of children by calling the IACAT 1343 Action line; or directly connecting with WCPC at (032) 410-8483 for Visayas, and 0917-180-6037 or 0928-604-6425 for Mindanao.

Note to Editors: The Terminology Guidelines for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, also known as the Luxembourg Guidelines, prescribes the use of the term “child sexual abuse material” or “child sexual exploitation material” instead of “child pornography”, except when referencing the name of statute. Sexualized material that depicts or otherwise represents children is a representation, and a form, of child sexual abuse and should not be described as “pornography.”

For more inquiries, contact: PBGEN ALESSANDRO ABELLA Chief, Women and Children Protection Center Philippine National Police [email protected]; [email protected]