Woman gets 26 years for online child trafficking

MANILA, Philippines — A court in Cebu City has sentenced a 25-year-old woman to 26 years in prison for the online sexual exploitation of minors, including her two children.

In a ruling promulgated on Wednesday, Cebu City Regional Trial Court Branch 11 Ramon Daomilas Jr. also ordered the woman to pay a fine of P1.5 million.

The International Justice Mission (IJM) said the woman, who entered into a plea bargaining agreement, pleaded guilty to attempted trafficking, child pornography, child abuse and voyeurism to avoid a longer prison term.

The woman was arrested in Cordova town on July 23, 2016 while offering to sexually abuse her daughters, aged five and two at the time, to online predators in exchange for money.

Authorities also rescued a five-year-old girl whom the woman previously offered for sexual abuse online.

Money transfer receipts from the woman’s transaction with an online customer were among the evidence used by the prosecutors.

“People selling the live streaming of child sexual abuse think it is an easy way to make money, but really it’s just a sure way to get arrested and go to jail,” John Tanagho, IJM-Cebu director, said.

The IJM said  58 persons have been convicted since 2011 for online trafficking in the country. At least 194 suspects were arrested and 456 victims were rescued.