TACLOBAN CITY — The International Justice Mission (IJM), a global organization protecting the poor from violence, has credited the continued entrapment operations against suspected online child traffickers in Eastern Visayas to the support of international authorities.
“Collaboration between local law enforcement and international law enforcement is crucial in ensuring that the victims of online sexual exploitation receive justice,” said lawyer John Tanagho, field office director of IJM-Cebu City, on Friday.
Tanagho noted that a senior investigator from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Internet Child Exploitation division came all the way from Canada to Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) to testify at the Regional Trial Court Branch 10 in Abuyog, Leyte against a suspected online trafficker, who was arrested in the neighboring town of McArthur late last year.
“We’re grateful for the support of the RCMP in this prosecution. That they traveled all the way to Leyte shows their deep commitment and professionalism,” Tanagho said.
IJM reported that on May 31, 2018, Corporal Jared Clarke, accompanied by RCMP liaison officer Jay Schooley, arrived in the province “to authenticate the referral letter RCMP sent to the Philippine National Police (PNP).”
“It is an investigation like this which demonstrates the international and border-less nature of ICE (Internet Child Exploitation) investigations. Saskatchewan is not immune to these horrific crimes. Through our international ICE partners, we can bring offenders to justice almost anywhere,” said Staff Sgt. Scott Lambie of the Saskatchewan Integrated Child Exploitation Unit in Saskatchewan province in Canada.
“Corporal Clarke of our unit recently travelled to Leyte province to testify at an ICE trial and conduct important child exploitation training locally. While in the Philippines, he also had the opportunity to meet with some rescued victims — a rare and rewarding experience. We want to thank our international partners for the work they continue to do to rescue victims and prosecute offenders,” added Lambie in a statement.
The referral letter led to a PNP investigation and entrapment operation wherein Lorna (real was withheld because one of the victims is her daughter) was arrested on Nov. 10, 2017 by the PNP Women and Children Protection Center’s (WCPC) Visayas field unit.
IJM said Lorna allegedly produced and transmitted sexually explicit images of children to foreigners overseas in exchange for money. She was caught by police in the act of offering to perform sex acts on her own eight-year-old daughter and livestream those acts from her house in McArthur, Leyte.
The police operation last November also saw the rescue of nine children, with ages ranging from two to nine, from online sexual exploitation.
IJM added that Clarke’s court testimony came four days after the arrest of Lorna’s spouse who was a village councilor in McArthur during the time of the operation.
The husband, who was not around during the November operation, was served an arrest warrant by personnel of the McArthur Police last May 27. Both Lorna and her husband were charged with qualified trafficking under Republic Act (RA) No. 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act as amended by RA 10364.
IJM expressed their gratitude to other government agencies that collaborated during the operation, including the Interagency Council Against Trafficking Region 8, the Leyte Police, Leyte Women and Children’s Protection Desk (WCPD), Leyte Provincial Public Safety Company, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s regional office here.
Online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) can cause severe psychological trauma on children and sometimes, physical injuries, said Rebelander Basilan, partnership development coordinator of IJM-Cebu City.
“Rescued victims of OSEC need many social services, including therapy and rehabilitation. OSEC victims would only be returned to the community after a comprehensive family home and risk assessment is conducted to confirm that the home is a safe place for the children and that they will no longer be sexually abused or exploited by their parents or relatives,” he said.
As of last month, the group worked with Philippine law enforcement agencies in various operations that led to the arrest of 135 suspected OSEC traffickers and the rescue of 319 victims around the country since 2011.
IJM reported that at least 35 accused have already been convicted for trafficking children into online sexual exploitation in the Philippines.
On Feb. 23 this year, IJM, along with the National Bureau of Investigation Anti-Human Trafficking Division and other government authorities, also helped in the arrest of three suspected traffickers in two separate entrapment operations in Tacloban City and in Culaba, Biliran province.
The operations led to the rescue of nine minors aged 4 to 17, and four other adults. (Ronald Reyes/PNA)
