Lapu barangay folk wary of cyberporn menace

BARANGAY Basak at the edge of Lapu-Lapu City is a haven for people engaged in cyberpornography, according to its barangay officials.

Basak barangay chairman Isabelito Darnayla said he knows of families in a “certain area” of the barangay between Cordova and Lapu-Lapu City who make a living through online porn.

“Some of them have renovated their houses and bought cars,” he told Cebu Daily News.

Residents used to earn P50,000 per session from foreign clients, he said. But now the rate is as low as P300 to P2,000 per session.

Last Friday, a 10-year-old schoolgirl told her grandmother she was made to pose naked in front of a lap top computer in the house of an aunt’s friend in Basak.

That disclosure led to the arrest of her aunt and another housewife in Basak, the first apprehension for cyberpornography in Lapu-Lapu, although several raids have been done in households in nearby Cordova town.

Darnayla said the city government has pursued a campaign to raise awareness of the harmful effect of cyberporn especially to children.

He said he invited 60 families to attend a briefing on the menace by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the police.

“Those families that were called just smiled and laughed but still we warned them about getting involved in cyber-pornography,” Darnayla said.

He said surveillance was conducted done on some suspects.

“We need to monitor them regularly so that we can save the children who are victims,” Darnayla said.

Linda Cabungcal, a store owner in barangay Basak, said she suspects that her friend borrows her computer for cyber-pornography.

“Siguro sa kawad-on maong nabuhat to niya ang manghulam (Maybe she did that because of poverty)” said Cabungcal, who has lived in the barangay for 13 years.

“Mas maayo pa ng maka-kwarta ta nga pina-agi sa pagpatulo og singot kaysa anang dinalian lagi pero illegal sad (It’s better to earn money through our hardwork than the easy way which may be illegal),” she said.

Darnayla said he proposed to the Cordova municipal government the regulation of money transfer outlets to deter the flow of cash between operators and foreign clients.

An ordinance on this matter is pending with the town council.

“Money transfer outlets should be reminded never to entertain cash transactions from online foreign sexual predators. If these people engaged in cyber-pornography aren’t jailed, they won’t stop,” Darnayla said.

While expecting more raids, Darnayla said he hopes these families will turn over a new leaf.

“We can still help these people. All they need is a stable and permanent job to satisfy their needs,” he said.