Marcos warns online child abuse perpetrators

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. warned that the Philippines would be the “absolute worst” place for the perpetrators of online child sex abuse as the government will impose full force of the law against them, Malacañang said on Wednesday.

During the Malacañang Press Briefing, Palace press briefer Daphne Oseña-Paez said that the Chief Executive wants the Philippines to become a leader in combating such online child sex abuse.

However, Oseña-Paez said the Philippines was once regarded as a hotspot for child sexual abuse and exploitation materials (CSAEM) and online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC).

“The Philippines is not a safe haven for people who abuse and exploit children. This is the absolute worst place for you, and we will make sure you know it,” Marcos said, as Oseña-Paez quoted.

Hence, Marcos directed the development of a centralized system using technology and specific cybercrime methods to identify and report OSAEC incidents.

He also gave several government agencies instructions to prioritize child safety since it should be the main focus of all of their initiatives and regulations.

In the same Palace briefing, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. also issued a warning that barangay-level resolution of Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) cases should not be done.

Since most cases of online sexual abuse against children never make it to relevant law enforcement agencies, Abalos emphasized the need of the public to report this kind of incident to them.

Abalos warned that that the local authorities may face consequences should it be established they are responsible for the ''settlement'' of these cases.

"This is my warning to all barangay officials. Settling is no longer an option. This can't be settled. I'm warning you. Whoever decides to meddle and settle this, I will make sure you'll end up in jail too," Abalos said.

Officer-in-charge and executive director of the National Coordinating Council on OSAEC and CSAEM Margarita Magsaysay claims that these incidents may victimize other people if they are not supported by higher authorities.

"It should be endorsed immediately to the law enforcement authority, as what is happening now, as Sec. said, is being settled at their level, maybe to maintain family harmony or whatever, but that cannot be. It shouldn't be settled at their level," Magsaysay said.

Abalos said there were 214 case referrals from the Philippine Internet Crimes Against Children Center (PICACC) for four years.

The DILG chief also mentioned that there were 98 operations, 413 victims saved, 88 arrests, and 38 convictions from 2019 to 2024.

Department of Justice (DOJ) Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV said in April that parents and relatives of minors are typically the ones behind their internet exploitation, citing studies and reports from the National Coordinating Council.

Clavano said the youngest OSAEC victims at the time of referral or rescue are less than a year old, with one instance involving a three-month-old infant. The average age of OSAEC victims is 11 years old. 

Magsaysay, in the same briefing, said that OSAEC and CSAEM have spread to Taguig, Iligan, and Cagayan de Oro.