Cordova owners register computers to barangays, town

HOUSEHOLD owners of Cordova town have voluntarily registered their computer units and Internet connections to the municipality and their respective barangays.

“Nagpa-enroll sila sa barangay ug munisipyo. Ang way tinaguan dinha pagpa-register mo. Maayo ug response (They were the ones who enrolled in their respective barangays and with the municipality. I told them if they’ve got nothing to hide, register your units and internet connections. We’ve got a good response from them.),” he said.

He said most of those who registered their computer units were from barangays Cogon and Ibabao.

On June 1, authorities raided a house and arrested a father and mother, who allegedly directed their minor children to pose nude in front of the web camera connected to the Internet.

The cybersex racket had been allegedly going on for three years.

On July 12, it was barangay Cogon’s turn and authorities raided a cybersex den and rescued three girls. Three women were also arrested.

After the raids, Cordova town officials and police conducted education and information campaigns in schools against cybersex.

Cebu Provincial Police Chief Patrocinio Comendador during yesterday’s Pulong Pulong also called on the public to help in the information campaign.

“The police cannot do it alone. Usahay mabiyaan namo sa focus because of so many other laws to implement,” he told members of the Cebu Association of City and Municipal Public Information Officers (CAOCAMPIO) who gathered for a meeting at the Cebu City hall yesterday morning for a meeting and to discuss Cebu’s cybersex concerns.

Comendador gave a power point presentation about cybersex operations, which he called an underground industry which proliferates in the Internet.

He said that the Philippines ranks fourth among nine nations with the most number of children trafficked in prostitution while Cebu is a destination of international and domestic trafficking of children ages 11 to 17 years old.

“Cebu is also considered as one of the top areas for child prostitution and sex tourism,” he said.

He said that cybersex operations dated since 2009 have been uncovered in the municipalities of Bantayan in Bantayan Island, Consolacion, Cordova, Minglanilla, Argao, Alegria, Dumanjug and Toledo City.

Since 2009, a total of 13 cases have been filed for violation of R.A. 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 while another 2 cases were filed for violation of R.A. 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009.  Chief of Reporters Doris C. Bongcac and Correspondent Carmel Loise Matus