PNP to orient parents, guardians on dangers of online child exploitation

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday said it will orient parents or guardians, especially those who have used their children for online sexual exploitation, against the dangers of the practice and the charges they will face for it.

Interviewed during a public briefing, PNP spokesperson Police Colonel Jean Fajardo said the police force is part of the inter-agency task force that will conduct operations against child pornography perpetrators and those engaged in child trafficking.

"Bahagi po ng ating gagawing intervention diyan ay magkakaroon at magsasagawa po tayo ng mga orientation, lalung-lalo na roon sa mga magulang sa mga barangay na akala nila ay harmless 'yung ginagawa nilang paggamit ng kanilang anak sa harapan ng kanilang computers. Akala nila okay lang 'yun dahil hindi naman nakikita 'yun nang personal," Fajardo said.

(Part of our intervention will be having and conducting orientations, especially for parents in barangays who think using their children that way in front of their computers is harmless, who think it's okay because the act was not seen by others personally.)

"Hindi lamang talaga sa parte ng PNP maa-address 'yan dahil ang concerns sa livelihood, ang concerns sa kung paano maiiwasan 'yung mga magulang mismo ang siyang gumagamit sa kanilang mga anak, dapat ma-educate rin sila na sila ay may kahaharapin na mabigat na kaso kung ito ay gagawin nila at gagamitin pa nila sa kanilang masamang gawain 'yung kanilang mga menor de edad," she added.

(The PNP will not be the only one to address that because it also concerns their livelihood, and how the parents themselves will avoid using their children. They must also be educated that they will face charges if they will use the minors in such illegal activity.)

PNP chief Police General Rodolfo Azurin Jr. earlier said that they would exert all efforts to curb online child exploitation in the country.

He said from January to August 2021, a total of 43 operations were conducted and 25 cases were filed. In the same period for 2022, 29 operations were conducted and 20 cases were filed.

There were 11 cases solved from January to August 2021 while there were four in the same period in 2022, Azurin said, adding that 25 cases were cleared from January to August 2021 while 20 were cleared from January to August 2022.

Opening of classes 'generally peaceful'

Meanwhile, Fajardo said the opening of classes on Monday, August 22, was "generally peaceful" as the PNP did not record any untoward incident.

"So far the opening of classes starting Monday was generally peaceful, the PNP did not record any untoward incident, not only in Metro Manila but also in the major regions like Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Cebu and Davao," she said.

Fajardo said almost 24,000 to 25,000 police personnel were deployed amid the opening of classes as part of their heightened police visibility and presence. —KBK, GMA News