NBI raids cybersex den in Navotas City

MANILA, Philippines – The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on Wednesday, February 25, raided an alleged cybersex den in Navotas City, rescuing 4 minors and apprehending 2 suspects in the operation.

The tandem allegedly in charge of the illegal streaming of child pornography were identified as Benzen Caneba and James Doblon.

NBI Anti-Human Trafficking Division chief Dante Bonoan said his division was tasked to conduct the operation, owing to its experience in handling victims of sex abuse, especially minors. The NBI is an agency under the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Information on the Navotas den was provided by the United States Homeland Security to the DOJ Office of Cybercrime in 2013.

DOJ Assistant Secretary Geronimo Sy, who also heads the DOJ Office of Cybercrime, said that the two apprehended suspects were in a relationship. 

He added that the ages of the rescued victims have yet to be ascertained, but they are likely to be minors.

The raided Navotas cybersex den involved actual live shows being streamed online for foreigners, Sy confirmed. 

“This case is special, in the sense that we closely coordinated with our United States counterparts. The agent was in disguise, and they started a chat session. We monitored online through our cybercrime office… I think it’s a good model to do it,” Sy said, explaining how they got hold of a court warrant for the Navotas operation.

Not under Cybercrime law

Sy, whose office is in charge of drafting the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 or the Republic Act (RA) 10175, said the law will help in similar operations.

“This is in the context of the whole Cybercrime-prevention framework that we’re putting. We’d like to thank the Supreme Court (SC) for the timely issuance of the decision,” he said in a press briefing.

The law was ruled constitutional by the High Court with select provisions struck down. (READ: SC rules online libel constitutional)

The Presidential Palace previously said the law will help curb online sex abuse, vowing continued action against the growing cash-for-cybersex scheme in the Philippines that targets mostly minors. (READ: Palace: Cybercrime law will help curb online sex abuse)

But RA 10175 is yet to be implemented, pending the drafting and publication of its IRR.

Sy said the IRR will be ready for consultations with stakeholders come March. 

Bonoan told Rappler that the suspects will be charged under the following laws:

• Republic Act (RA) 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act
• RA 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act
• RA 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act

More raids

News of Philippine online prostitution hit international headlines after the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) revealed details of an international investigation on the issue.

“We will see more and more of these raids, protection, cracking down on child pornography, trafficking of minors. These are the priorities that we have announced since the beginning,” Sy said, maintaining that online libel is not among its priorities. (READ: E-libel not necessary – cybercrime office)

The NBI also seeks to identify the exploiters who push children to engage in sexual acts.

Bonoan previously explained that syndicates have shifted tactics, moving from contained areas to different homes to create cybersex dens. (READ: NBI: Online sex trade cottage industry in the Philippines) – Rappler.com