Mother nabbed for online sexual exploitation of 12-year-old daughter

Police officers in Taytay, Rizal arrested the mother of a 12-year-old girl for allegedly selling sexually explicit photos and videos of her daughter over the internet.

The suspect was found with the help of the Australian Federation Police after they arrested an Australian national who solicited child exploitation materials, according to a Saturday report by Tina Panganiban-Perez on GMA 7 news program 24 Oras Weekend.

"Nung na-aresto nila ito, yung mga gadgets niya nag undergo ng forensic digital exam at doon natunton yung identity nitong victim kaya ni-refer dito sa PNP," said Women and Children Protection Center Police commander Colonel Maria Sheila Portento.

Investigators also seized other kinds of evidence, such as sex toys, at the suspect's home.

"Sadly, we continue to see the increased appetite in child abuse material online which leads to children being used as pawns in a form of abuse that has a devastating impact," Australian Federation Police Agent Andrew Perkin said.

According to SaferKidsPH, 80 percent of cybercrime cases in the Philippines involved the sexual exploitation of children.

The Philippine government and the Australian embassy were continuously working together to prevent and stop the online exploitation of children. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News