Tri-City Specialty Justice Zone vs. child sexual abuse launched in E. Visayas

The Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) on Thursday launched a Tri-City Specialty Justice Zone that will focus on addressing online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) and child sexual abuse or exploitation material (CSAEM) cases in Eastern Visayas.

According to the Supreme Court (SC), the Specialty Justice Zone was launched in Tacloban, Ormoc, and Calbayog.

“The three cities in Eastern Visayas were selected after being identified as among the areas most affected and vulnerable to OSAEC and CSAEM,” the SC said in a statement.

This will be the seventh Specialty Justice Zone launched in the Philippines, and the second zone dedicated to combat OSAEC and CSAEM.

“The initiative also seeks to address key challenges in OSAEC cases, including victims’ reluctance to testify against parents, the risk of children becoming involved in exploitation due to economic hardship, and the involvement of foreign nationals,” the SC said.

It also said the initiative aims to address challenges in such cases, including the reluctance of victims to testify against their parents, the risks of children becoming involved in exploitation due to economic hardship, and involvement of foreign nationals.

According to the JSCC, the Justice Zone aims to strengthen coordination among courts, prosecutors, law enforcement, and correction agencies.

The first Specialty Justice Zone against child sexual abuse was launched in September 2024 in Cagayan de Oro, Iligan City, and Ozamiz City.

The JSCC is composed of the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government. — VDV/VBL, GMA Integrated News