HUSBAND ‘CLUELESS’ ON WIFE’S PEDDLING OF KID
Mandaue City says it will come up with ordinance similar to Cordova’s that will require money transfer firms to report suspicious transactions
“Mura kog maburyong oy (I felt I was going crazy).”
This was John’s (real name withheld) statement after he found out that his 52-year-old wife was arrested for allegedly peddling their 15-year-old daughter for online sex in their house in Barangay Opao, Mandaue City last Saturday.
John was in their store, which is a few meters away from their house, when the Police Anti-Cybercrime Group 7 conducted an entrapment and arrested Josie (not her real name).
His daughter was already under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development 7.
Their neighbors knew John as a good man, who works as an employee of the Mandaue City Government. He is a native of Barangay Opao. They said they did not hear that his wife was involved in cyber pornography.
John picks up their neighbors’ trash during collection of garbage. He earns P10 per sack of garbage.
“Buotan kaayo ang bana ana... Wala mi nagdahom oy (Her husband is a very good man. We did not expect that it was the activity of his wife),” a neighbor said.
The Mandaue City Government will replicate an ordinance in Cordova that requires money remittance companies to report suspicious transactions.
“The first step that we need to undertake right now is to parallel and mirror the ordinance legislated in the municipality of Cordova,” said Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna.
According to the anti-cyberporn ordinance of Cordova, the money remittance centers in Cordova must report periodically to the municipal hall the list of customers and amounts transferred to detect unusual money transfers.
If the establishment failed to do so, the business permit of a money remittance center would be canceled.
In a press conference, Fortuna said the City Council, through Councilor Cynthia Remedio, chair of the committee on women and children, conducted an orientation with principals and school heads in the city about cyber porn so they can educate their students about the problem.
He said detection is a challenge because some family members support the activity of a member who peddles a child.
“Detection is a challenge, but it is not really difficult,” said Fortuna.
In a separate interview, Opao Barangay Captain Basilisa Icalina told SunStar Cebu they will conduct an information campaign about cyber pornography in every purok.
Icalina said they haven’t heard any report that Josie had been involved in cyber sex.
“Maayo ra man na sila. Di man sila troublemaker, hilom ra, simple. Di man sila badlongon sa barangay ( Josie and her family are nice people. They have a simple family),” she said.
The Opao Barangay Council will approve a resolution supporting the City Council in creating an ordinance against cyber sex.
When SunStar Cebu visited Josie’s neighborhood, the people said they were not expecting that online pornography existed in their area as they only heard about this happening in Cordova.
A resident said they thought the operation was about illegal drugs.
“I know who are doing illegal activities and who are not. That’s why I was surprised that cyber porn is existing in our place,” a resident said.
The Cebu Provincial Women’s Commission (PWC) is willing to assist the International Justice Mission in pursuing the case against Josie.
Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale, who chairs the PWC, said that if IJM wishes so, they will provide longterm rehabilitation for the girl while the case against her mother is ongoing.
Magpale said they are also willing to assist the IJM in their case against the mother.