MANILA, Philippines – Authorities on Friday, November 10, rescued 9 children from a “child pornographer” in Leyte who allegedly abused them for her online clients.

The suspect was caught in an entrapment operation in her home in MacArthur town, Leyte, where the children, aged two to 9 were rescued. One of them was her 8-year-old daughter.

According PNP Women and Children Proctection Center Leyte field officer Senior Superintendent Romeo Perigo, the woman asked an undercover cop to pay P1,500 for a “show.” (READ: Kids aren’t supposed to be for sex)

“Nag-chat siya sa police decoy, nag-offer siya ng mga minors to do a show for a fee. She demanded P1,500 for the show, tapos noon, nakuha na namin ‘yung lahat ng mga requirements na na-violate niya ‘yung RA 9208, RA 9775, and RA 7610 ‘yun nirush-up na namin ‘yung bahay,” Perigo told Rappler in a phone interview.

(She chatted with the police decoy and offered that minors would do a show for a fee. She demanded P1,500 for the show, then when we got the requirements for violations of [Republic Act] 9208, RA 9775, and RA 7610, we rushed to her house.)

RA 9208 is the Anti-Human Trafficking in Persons Act, RA 9775 is the Anti-Child Pornography Act, and RA 7610 is the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

The parents of the other rescued children supposedly did not know what the suspect had been doing to their kids. (READ: Hungry for justice: Harsh realities of child abuse)

Perigo said they got the tip on the suspect from the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, which coordinated with Canadian authorities, who first caught a client of the suspect earlier in 2017.

The operation was assisted by the International Justice Mission (IJM), an international human rights organization focusing on cracking down on child abuse in the Philippines. (READ: How to avoid online child sexual abuse)

According to the IJM, the suspect supposedly told her online customers that she could sexually abuse children of any age, and that the children could do whatever sex act the customer wanted “until the children cried in pain.”

She even allegedly offered to sexually abuse a 3-month-old baby in exchange for money. A baby of that age was not found in the operation.

The kids, according to Perigo, were brought to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) “for assessment and evaluation,” to see if their experience with the suspect has harmed them in any way. 

The suspect is detained at the Leyte Provincial Police Office (PPO) as she awaits charges. – Rappler.com