Anti-cyberporn forum in Cebu

Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale will invite all the mayors and other officers from different local government units in the province to a forum on cyber pornography on June 1 in Cebu City. Magpale said the forum aims to educate officials on the problems of cyber pornography, highlight the efforts of LGUs in preventing cyberporn from infiltrating their municipalities. The local officials will serve as panelists during the discussion. Magpale said the forum also seeks to alert of the community and other stakeholders on the problem of cyber-pornography. She added that some social welfare officers do not even know that cyberporn is happening in their communities. Last week, a 30-year-old mother in San Fernando town was arrested for driving her daughter into cyberporn. The arrest was made after an entrapment operation by Women and Children Protection Center-Visayas Field Unit (WCPC-VFU), Philippine National Police and International Justice Mission (IJM). The operation in San Fernando brought to 39 the number of individuals arrested for online sexual exploitation of children (OSEC) in Cebu in the last two and a half years, based on IJM data. The traffickers had exploited 99 children. Six municipalities in Cebu have cases of cyber pornography: Bogo, Talisay, Santa Fe, Maderidejos, Cordova and San Fernando. The forum is in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), IJM and PNP. (Lesley Caminade Vestil)