To gain headway in the campaign against cybersex, police officials and other authorities will have to hit close to home.
Senior Supt. Anthony Obenza said he received intelligence reports that there are some husbands who pushed their wives to engage in cybersex in three barangays of Lapu-Lapu City.
"The husbands themselves instigated their wives to find chat mates (who are foreigners)," he told reporters in the Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis (Tsip) held Wednesday in the Police Regional Office 7.
Obenza, the city’s police director, said they are monitoring three barangays because they suspect cybersex operations are rampant in those areas.
The Lapu-Lapu City Police Office last week, according to Obenza, conducted a seminar for 60 women who were allegedly involved in the illegal business.
They were reminded that engaging in online pornography violates the law. But the women, according to Obenza, denied they are into online pornography.
Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale said if the husbands themselves pushed their wives to engage in cybersex, they should be charged with violating the laws against trafficking and pornography.
She said the Provincial Women's Commission (PWC), which she co-chairs, is ready to help Lapu-Lapu City create a similar commission that can help the police crackdown on cybercrime and similar offenses.
Obenza said that barangay officials and members of the Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN) were the ones who told him about the problem.
For Central Visayas police director Ager Ontog Jr., fighting cybersex operations is a big challenge, as they lack the equipment, manpower and capability to investigate cybercrimes.
"It is a new phenomenon in our crime incidents," he said. "The surge of information technology…has exploited our women and children."
Out of 7,000 Police Regional Office 7 personnel, only 30 of them are properly trained against cybercrime, he said.
Last Tuesday, the police director said he had a meeting with officers from the Australian Federal Police and asked them to teach the local police the basic skills in investigating and tracking down cybersex.
He said the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) is the only police unit that has the tools and expertise for investigating cybercrimes.
Despite the police's lack of capability, Ontog assured the public that cybersex operations and human trafficking cases in the region are "not alarming." He said most of the persons involved in it are foreigners.
Cebu Provincial Police Office Acting Director Patrocinio Comendador said cybersex in the province is “not prevalent.”
Ontog emphasized the importance of the barangay officials and local government units' cooperation.
"The information starts from them," he said. "Without the information, there will be no investigation."
He said they will coordinate with Vice Governor Magpale to unite their efforts in battling cybersex.
Ontog visited Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia on Wednesday and admitted the police lack the technical knowledge to go against cybercrime more aggressively.
On the other hand, the police force in Cebu City and Mandaue City are continuously inspecting Internet cafes.
Cebu City Police Office Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe said he will suggest to Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC) not to allow private cubicles in Internet cafes.
Cubicles with see-through glass are acceptable, as long as "the person can be seen outside," Buenafe said.
Supt. James Goforth of Mandaue City Police Office said they are active in implementing the city’s curfew ordinance so they can prevent the minors from falling into the hands of cybersex operators or traffickers.
Apart from cybercrime, an increasing incidence of robbery has raised concern in Lapu-Lapu City.
Reiterating some concerns she mentioned during her State of the City Address (Soca) last week, Mayor Paz Radaza, during her weekly press conference, said robbery incidents in the city are now at an "alarming" rate.
But she expressed confidence the local law enforcement units can handle the challenge.
During her Soca, Radaza had noted that while crimes such as theft, car theft, homicide and physical injuries had gone down, robbery cases went up from 14 percent to 24 percent.
She revealed she has discussed the matter with Obenza and asked the city director to monitor the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team and the Unified Task Force, for leads from the field.
By KAL/RSA/JKV
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