3 minors, 7 others rescued from online prostitution in Tayabas and Lucena

Three minors and seven others who were allegedly being pimped online were rescued in operations conducted by the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group in Tayabas and Lucena in Quezon. 

According to Jun Veneracion's report on 24 Oras, five suspects were arrested in the alleged online prostitution dens, with most of them being relatives of the victims. 

“Itong online prostitution den ang nangyayari dito ay meron pong mga biktima na pinapagawa ng mga sexual activities online. Ito yung nagla-live sila sa isang website kung saan ang karaniwang mga customers nila mga foreigners,” said PNP-ACG spokesperson Police Lieutenant Wallen Arancillo. 

(What happens in these online prostitution dens is the victims are made to do sexual activities online. This is where they do live on a website where their usual customers are foreigners.) 

Acting on a tip, the PNP-ACG obtained a search warrant after conducting an investigation.

According to the probe, the two online prostitution dens started operating last year. The website of the group running them cannot be accessed with a local credit card; payments for the shows were in dollars.

“Bale yung bayad, kung gaano kalalala yung sexual activities na gagawin nung victim, yun din ang taas ng price na ibabayad,” said Arancillo. 

(The payment depended on the kind of sexual acts the victim was made to do.) 

The suspects were charged with violation of the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act in relation to the Cybercrime Prevention Act. The PNP-ACG said that the suspects' lawyer did not allow the media to talk to them because the case is still under investigation. — Sherylin Untalan/BM, GMA Integrated News