MANILA, Philippines - A judge in Cebu has sentenced a couple to 15 years in prison over the sexual exploitation of their three children.
Mandaue City Regional Trial Court Branch 28 Judge Mercedita Dadole-Ygnacio also ordered the couple to pay P600,000 in moral damages, human rights group International Justice Mission (IJM) said in a statement issued yesterday.
IJM said the couple was arrested during an entrapment operation in September 2013 for asking their children to perform sexual acts online.
The conviction is seen as a breakthrough in the resolution of online sexual exploitation cases.
“The conviction also set a precedent in using the legal strategy of plea bargaining,” IJM said.
“Because the convictions were achieved by plea bargain, the young victims did not have to be re-traumatized by testifying against their parents in court. While the prosecution believes that it has strong evidence to prove its case… it consented to the plea bargain for the best interest of the victims,” it said.
The children are under the protective custody of the regional office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.