The Philippine National Police (PNP) has strengthened its campaign against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) by expanding intelligence-sharing with the Norwegian Police Service to pursue transnational offenders and rescue more victims.

The enhanced cooperation follows the signing of a memorandum of understanding on 2 July between PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. and Norwegian Deputy Police Commissioner Lars Erik Alfheim.

The agreement broadens information-sharing between the two law enforcement agencies to identify offenders, rescue child victims and investigate cross-border OSAEC cases. It also builds on the work of the Nordic Liaison Office, which has supported joint operations since 2020.

Following the signing, Nartatez directed the Women and Children Protection Center, the Anti-Cybercrime Group and all Police Regional Offices to maximize intelligence obtained through the partnership and strengthen monitoring of online child exploitation cases.

He also ordered additional training for cyber investigators and digital forensic personnel using best practices from Norwegian law enforcement.

“Crime knows no borders, and our response must be equally boundless. This agreement formalizes a vital intelligence pipeline that allows us to strike at the digital infrastructure of these predators,” Nartatez said.

He said the PNP aims to integrate international intelligence into day-to-day operations to identify and dismantle child exploitation networks before more victims are harmed.

The Norwegian Embassy in Manila said intelligence previously shared by Norwegian authorities had already helped Philippine law enforcement rescue children from ongoing abuse, identify offenders and support the arrest of individuals in Norway who had commissioned the crimes.

Norwegian authorities said the new agreement would allow both countries to exchange information more quickly and intervene before additional children become victims.