2 men post girl’s naked pics online, ask for ‘deletion’ fee
AGENTS of the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group on Thursday arrested two men for sextortion and child exploitation in Tarlac, PNP-ACG director Brigadier General Sydney S. Hernia said yesterday.
The suspects were identified as Ian Mark Esguerra,18; and Jerome Ora, 20, both of Calasiao, Pangasinan.
The two were arrested in an entrapment operation near a convenience store in Moncada, Tarlac around 12:30 a.m. Thursday.
PNP Anti-Cybercrime Unit 3 policemen said the duo were accused of online sexual abuse and exploitation when they threatened a young girl named “Ella” they will distribute her explicit photos and videos if the girl will not agree to meet them in person.
The girl’s agony started when one of the suspects created a Facebook account and publicly posted her sensitive pictures online.
One of the two later demanded to meet the girl in person in exchange for the deletion of her naked videos and pictures. The demand prompted the victim to confide to her mother her ordeal.
The mother sought the help of the RACU 3. The policemen were able to arrest the duo in an entrapment operation.
Both suspects will be facing charges of violation of Republic Act 11930 or An Act Punishing Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children. The law also penalizes the production, distribution, possession and access of child sexual abuse or exploitation materials.
They will also be charged for grave coercion, robbery-extortion and violation of RA 9995 or the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act and RA 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law, all in relation to RA 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
Hernia expressed deep concern about the prevalence of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) and the proliferation of child sexual abuse and exploitation material (CSAEM) in the country in the wake of the arrest of the two suspects.
Hernia encouraged victims of sextortion to seek help and report such crimes to law enforcement agencies as this collective effort can prevent such crimes from happening to others.
