CHARGES were filed in court against a 27-year-old man for selling pornographic DVDs, including the alleged sex video of slain actor Ramgen Revilla and his girlfriend.
Marck Ibrahim Ismael of Marawi, Lanao del Sur, faces charges for violation of Republic Act 9995 or the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009.
Ismael, whose bail was set at P9,000, was arrested by agents of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) last Jan. 26.
Police were tipped off about the rampant selling of the sex video of Ramgen Revilla and Janelle Manahan inside the former Vision Theater along Colon Street, Cebu City.
Police conducted surveillance in the area and followed it with a buy-bust operation. Ismael was arrested after he received P500 from a police poseur buyer.
Police confiscated two DVDs of the Revilla-Manahan sex video and six pornographic DVDs.
They also recovered from the store 18 other DVDs of the Revilla-Manahan sex video and 253 pieces of pornographic DVDs.
The Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act of 2009 prohibits anyone from selling, distributing, or causing to be sold or distributed photos or videos or recordings of the sexual act, whether it be the original copy or reproduction thereof.
In Mandaue City, nine persons, including three minors, were arrested after they were caught selling pirated pornographic VCDs and DVDs last Monday evening.
Under Oplan Magdalena, the joint operatives of the Investigative and Detective Management Bureau (IDMB), the Women’s Desk and the six police stations in the city conducted simultaneous raids of stalls selling pornographic VCDs and DVDs in barangays Banilad, Maguikay, Casuntingan, Basak and Canduman.
The raids led to the confiscation of at least 300 DVDs and VCDs worth P17,000.
Mandaue City Police Office Director Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac said he received complaints from parents who caught their children watching pornographic films.
Insp. Ramil Morpos, Theft and Robbery Section chief, said the children pointed to the stalls as the source of these porn films.
Morpos said they continued to receive complaints last week, so the raid was conducted and three rookie police were sent as poser-buyers.
Nasrodin Abubacar, 30, Lanao Del Sur; Valeriano Fernandez, 65, of barangay Bulacao, Talisay City; Mae Ramos, 18, of Danao City; Desilyn Joy Vergara, 18, of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental; and Artemus Lopez, 34, of barangay Apas, Cebu City, are now detained at the police station 2, 3 and 4. The three minors were turned over to the Women’s desk for counseling.
Morpos said they will be charged with violation of Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code as amended by Presidential Decree 969 or the selling of pornographic films. /Reporter Ador Vincent S. Mayol, Correspondents Fe Marie Dumaboc And Norman Mendoza