Grade 6 teacher in Pangasinan nabbed over child porn

A Grade 6 teacher from San Carlos City, Pangasinan, was arrested for allegedly distributing child pornography.

A report by GMA News' Lei Alviz on 24 Oras said operatives from the National Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Cyber Crime raided the home of Wilfredo Ballesteros, 29, by virtue of search warrant.

The DOJ Cyber Crime office allegedly received reports of his involvement in child pornography.

Authorities confiscated the gadgets that he could have used for spreading the vulgar videos in social media, the report said.

Lawyer Dante Bonoan, chief of the NBI District Office in Dagupan, said they prioritized the case because the suspect's students are in danger of being corrupted.

"Ang tinuturuan niya Grade 6, so mga minor, siya ay isang ano, may propensity kasi siyang i-corrupt itong mga minor niya, mga minor na nasa pangangalaga niya, mga estudyante niya, kaya ito'y naging isa sa mga priority case natin," he said.

Ballesteros admitted that he possessed lewd videos but said it was for his own use only.

"Ang ginagawa ko lang dun is dina-download ko lang, pinapanood ko lang po, sa akin lang po yun. Pero nagkataon lang na humihingi po ng video yung kaibigan ng barkada ko," he said.

Bonoan said that even just possession of child pornographic materials is illegal and punishable by reclusion perpetua.

"Possession of child pornographic materials ay bawal. Ito'y ginagawa, pine-penalize natin ito ano at ang pinakamataas na penalty rito is reclusion perpetua," he said.

The suspect will be charged with violation of Republic Act 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act. —Jessica Bartolome/KBK, GMA News