Senate probe into online sexual abuse of children sought
MANILA, Philippines — A Senate resolution has been filed seeking a probe into the rise of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) and how it is enabled through online platforms and digital wallets.
Sen. Risa Hontiveros, the chair of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, filed Senate Resolution 1307, which urged the panel to investigate the matter.
In the resolution, she urged the panel to “conduct an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into the reports of OSAEC crimes and the proliferation of OSAEC criminal networks through the use of digital platforms and electronic wallets.”
The senator cited a report from cybersecurity group Deep Web Konek, which found that thousands of Filipino minors have been victimized or involved in OSAEC crimes through online platforms.
The report also noted that more than 100 private channels are dedicated to illicit online content.
The largest channel reportedly has 100,000 members and contains 40,000 digital files. Transactions are often carried out through e-wallets using mule accounts.
“The same report also documented cases of parents being complicit in the trafficking of their own children, with one woman selling over 200 files with OSAEC content of their own child,” the resolution read.
While the Anti-OSAEC and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act has provided many tools for prosecution, Hontiveros said the advancement of emerging technologies has made law enforcement more challenging.
The government has consistently expressed the struggle of fighting against OSAEC due to the nature of the crime, with family members themselves often being the perpetrators.
The Philippines has become a known destination for OSAEC due to its proliferation in the country.
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