Police lack know-how in catching cybersex offenders

THE Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) lack the training and equipment to deal with cybercrimes.

In yesterday’s 888 News Forum, Chief Supt. Ager Ontog Jr., PRO-7 chief, said the local police had to rely on the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) since the police are unfamiliar with the technology employed in cybersex crimes.

Ontog was asked about the police capability in dealing with cybercrimes amid reports on the proliferation of home-based Internet porn operations in Cordova, Minglanilla and other Cebu towns.

The arrest last June 1 of a couple in Cordova town who used their young children to perform lewd acts before a web camera for online customers was made by the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7), after a one-month surveillance.

The NBI was called in by the Cebu Provincial Women’s Commission, which had been monitoring reports of cybersex operations involving family members in Cordova.

The Homeland Security authorities of the United States government assisted the NBI in tracing the online programs used by the couple to upload live videos of their children posing nude or performing lewd acts.

The trend had been noticed much earlier in 2006 by Cordova town and parish officials, but the local police were unable to arrest any operator.

Cybercrimes involve the use of a computer and the Internet.

Ontog said cybersex crimes investigation is mainly done in Camp Crame where they forward evidence like hard disks.

“We lack equipment and personnel who can evaluate this type of evidence. It’s very technical and needs specialized training,” Ontog said.

He said the CIDG office in Camp Crame has staff that were trained by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation .

Ontog said the PNP central office has been dealing with cybercrime cases for the past decade.

The PNP has a program to train policemen in handling cyber crimes but Ontog said this has yet to reach the region.

Asked if the PNP needs to create a special unit to focus mainly on cybercrimes, Ontog said it is a good idea which he will raise to lawmakers in Region 7.

Ontog said he just concluded peace and order briefings with lawmakers in Negros Oriental like Congressmen Henry Price Teves, George Arnaiz and Jocelyn Limkaichong.

In Cebu, Ontog said he has conferred with Lapu-Lapu City Rep. Arturo Radaza on peace and order issues.

The proliferation of cybersex has raised concerns among local government officials since it had been operating under the noses of local authorities.

A priest in Cordova earlier disclosed that cybersex operation in private houses had been going on for the past six years.

The Provincial Women’s Council earlier noted a rise in cases of incest in the northern town.

To curb the social problem, the PWC led by Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale decided to focus on an information drive through modules to be taught in schools and values formation among parents in Cebu towns, starting with Cordova.

The Cebu City Council, meanwhile, intensified its campaign against online prostitution and called on the City Anti Indecency Board (CAIB) to monitor the operation of public Internet cafes.

At present, the team handling cases involving cyber crimes in Cebu is the Region’s Task Force for Anti-Human Trafficking, supported by the International Justice Mission. With Correspondent Patricia Andrea Pateña