PNP: Number of children falling victim to cybersex crimes on the rise

The Philippine National Police Anti Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) said the number of children engaging in cybersex has increased in the past years, with a record high in three years of 136 cases in 2015.

According to a report by Marisol Abdurahman on GMA News TV's State of the Nation with Jessica Soho on Wednesday night, this number leaped from 87 in 2014 and 51 in 2013.

What's disturbing, according to PNP-ACG public information chief, Supt. Jay Guillermo, is that it is sometimes the parents who pimp their children out to foreigners, in exchange for $50 to $100 per nude photo.

Guillermo explained that some of these parents assume that because there is no physical contact in cybersex, no harm is done to their children—overlooking the psychological trauma the act could inflict.

Moreover, the PNP-ACG pointed to the rising number of children online means that more of them are exposed to sexual predators.

"They encourage the victim through "online modeling" on social media. They encourage the children to send 2 x 2 pictures, half-body, and then whole body...then naked photos," Guillermo said, explaining the M.O. of online predators.

Most of the cybersex cases being handled by the PNP-ACG are referred from outside the country, after offenders get caught preying on children in the Philippines.

If arrested and proven guilty of violating Republic Act 9775 or the Anti Child Pornography Act, these offenders could face reclusion temporal in its maximum period (20 years) and fine of up to P2 million. — Aya Tantiangco/RSJ, GMA News