By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/ PNA
MANILA — Law enforcement agencies on Wednesday forged a partnership with various organizations to combat online exploitation of children.
Under a joint agency agreement, the Women and Children’s Protection Center (WCPC), the National Bureau of Investigation-Anti Human Trafficking Division (NBI-AHTRAD); Australian Federal Police (AFP); United Kingdom National Crime Agency; and the International Justice Mission, a non-government organization, formed the Philippine Internet Crimes Against Children Center (PICACC), aimed at curbing online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) through an enhanced global response.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde lauded this kind of cooperation with foreign counterparts in fighting this crime.
OSEC is one of the most alarming forms of human trafficking in the country where sex offenders and predators in the world can search online and pay to direct live sexual abuse of children.
“This is the very reason why we have cooperation with foreign counterparts like this. We utilize all resources and upgrade our equipment to fight OSEC. At the same time, we have the Anti-Cybercrime Group and the WCPC. At the same time, we continue to improve our technology for this,” Albayalde told reporters after the PICACC launch in Camp Crame, Quezon City.
The PICACC will be the focal point for all PNP-WCPC and the NBI’s AHTRAD regional offices by providing a national and international support element to those involved in combatting OSEC.
WCPC head Chief Supt. William Macavinta said the establishment of PICACC is a manifestation of both international and local government and non-government organizations joining hands in eliminating this crime.
“The ability to leverage partner agency reach and capability will enhance the collective global law enforcement effort to detect perpetrators and protect children,” Macavinta said.
Meanwhile, NBI-AHTRAD chief, lawyer Jane Francisco said nothing can be more appalling than sexually exploiting and abusing children.
AFP Assistant Commissioner and National Manager for Crime Operations Debbie Platz, for her part, said the PICACC is a hub for domestic Philippine and foreign law enforcement collaborative efforts to combat the online sexual exploitation of children.
“In time, this will become a South-East Asian regional ‘center of excellence’ for this crime type,” Platz said.
Mark Bishop, head of Asia/Pacific region for the UK NCA said that London is pleased to be part of this collaborative effort in the region to tackle the scourge of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation — the consumption of livestreamed abuse, produced by criminals using vulnerable children, and that it is a considerable problem in the UK, and the Prime Minister, Home Secretary and the Director General have all publicly identified this as a key priority for NCA.
The launch of the PICACC comes at a time of increasing inter-agency collaboration in the Philippines.
In March 2018, the PNP-WCPC and NBI-AHTRAD conducted joint operation resulting in the arrest of 31-year old Filipino man who was offering his two nieces (aged 9 and 16 at the time of rescue) to perform lewd acts for foreigners online.
