NBI nabs mothers for sexually exploiting their kids

Back-to-back operations in Pampanga and Tarlac led to the arrest of mothers involved in the sexual exploitation of their children.

According to a 24 Oras report by John Consulta on Friday, agents from the NBI Human Trafficking Division apprehended a mother and three relatives of child victims in Pampanga.

“Paulit-ulit nang pumupunta sa Pilipinas. Patuloy nilang ine-exploit [ang mga bata], dinadala nila sa hotel. Pag andito ang mga foreigners, cash-on-cash basis. Minsan itong mga foreigners na nakatransact ng mother na Filipina, binebenta rin sa ibang parokyano, minsan sa dark web pa,” said NBI Violence Against Women and Children Desk (VAWCD) chief Attorney Yehlen Agus.

(They repeatedly return to the Philippines to exploit children, taking them to hotels for abuse. Transactions are cash-based, and some foreigners resell the victims to other clients, even on the dark web.)

NBI Human Trafficking Division chief Atty. Olga Angustia-Gonzales added that some mothers also engage in online sexual exploitation themselves.

“Just to keep yung pera na makatanggap sila ay inaalok nila ang kanilang mga anak na babae. Kung minsan, pati mga anak na lalaki ay inaalok nila sa foreigner na mas mataas ang bayad,” added NBI Human Trafficking Division chief Attorney Olga Angustia-Gonzales.

(To sustain their income, they offer their daughters—and sometimes even their sons—to foreign clients who pay more.)

Meanwhile, during a separate operation in Tarlac, another mother resisted arrest while attempting to traffic her two children, aged 6 and 10, to an American abuser.

“Dahil sa kahirapan, dahil sa pangangailangan sa pera, humantong sa ganitong business ang ating kababayan, pero hindi ito justification para sirain ang buhay ng ating mga anak,” said NBI Director Jaime Santiago.

(Poverty is not an excuse to destroy the lives of our children.)

The suspects face charges under the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse of Children and Child Abuse laws. — Jiselle Anne Casucian/DVM, GMA Integrated News