PNP cybercops rescue 4 victims of child trafficking ring
FOUR more young victims of a child trafficking ring said to be being run by a wanted American pedophile on Friday were rescued by agents of the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group in separate operations in Cagayan de Oro City, PNP-ACG director Brig. Gen. Robert Rodriguez said.
In a report to PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, the official said that the four of the victims — one of them 18 years old, two are 15 years old and the youngest 14 — were believed to be among some 100 victims of the child trafficking syndicate said to be being operated by Louie Leland Valdivia.
“The rescue operations were conducted in relation to our continuing effort to build-up solid pieces of evidence against Valdivia and his cohorts. Actually, the minor victims were identified through a gallery of photographs presented by our investigators to the previously rescued victims,” said Rodriguez.
The official said that the four were rescued in separate houses in Upper Nazareth and Bgy. Balulang and in Bgy. Balubal in Cagayan de Oro City early Friday morning.
He said that members of the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 10 led by Lt. Col. Ignacio Gamba III, in coordination with the City Social Welfare and Development, the local Department of Social Welfare and Development Office, and the Regional Anti-Trafficking Task Force rescued the four victims of online sexual exploitation.
On Friday last week, four 15-year-old girls were also rescued during separate operations in Lower Tambo, Macasandig and Upper Nazareth in Cagayan de Oro City.
Rodriguez said at present, they are continuing their operation to rescue all the teenagers victimized by Valdivia alias “Daddy Louie,” an American citizen said to be involved in trafficking of minors in Cagayan de Oro City and other nearby areas.
The PNP-ACG director said Valdivia was previously arrested by his men for the same violation. The accused is believed to have victimized around a hundred minors in Cagayan de Oro City.
