Police file charges against two sisters for running a "cyber-sex den"

Criminal charges for obscene publication and indecent shows were filed against two sisters, for allegedly running a cyber-sex den with young girls stripping naked for online foreign customers via the Internet, by the police in Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.

The sisters were charged before the Bayawan City court for violation of Section 9, Article 5 of Republic Act 7610, or the "Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act", Chief Insp. Rosalinda Abellon of the Provincial PNP's Women and Children's Concerns Desk, said.

Section 9 of the Act states that "any person who shall hire, employ, use, persuade, induce or coerce a child to perform in obscene exhibitions and indecent shows, whether live or in video, pose, or model in obscene publications or pornographic materials or to sell or distribute the said materials shall suffer the penalty of prison mayor in its medium period".

Abellon said at least five female minors, with ages ranging between 13 and 16, were rescued during a raid on Feb. 15 on two adjacent apartments in Bayawan that were rented by the sisters.

In an interview, the youngest of the victims admitted that they took off their clothes and performed sexual acts in the nude in front of the computer.

The girls were originally hired as housemaids but were later enticed to engage in such obscene acts in exchange for large sums of money that were paid to the suspected cyber-sex den operators through a money forwarding company, Abellon said.

The raid, authorized by a court order, came after a concerned individual wrote the police in Dumaguete about the operations in Bayawan City.

The suspects have reportedly posted bail while equipment such as computers and other peripherals were confiscated during the raid.

Abellon warned of more police action against similar offenses in the coming days, although she admitted it was a tough job to run after cyber-sex den operators unless concerned citizens cooperate with authorities.

This is the second time in Negros Oriental that the police have arrested some persons for such crime; the first reported cyber-sex den operations was in Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City where a couple was said to be running the illegal trade in a rented house.*JG

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