Arrest of alleged child traffickers

Human trafficking and online sexual exploitation have greatly advanced in making human beings as a commodity especially in this rapidly globalized world. This monstrosity is an organized crime of the perpetrators and its customers. They must pay the price from gaining profit of the victims.

KASO commends the arrest of two alleged human traffickers — an Australian and his Filipino companion — last September 23, 2020 during a raid in Brgy. Canitoan where two female minors, both 15 years old, were rescued. The raid team discovered several sex toys, cellphones, two plastic sachets containing suspected drug residues, and drug paraphernalia. The minors testified that they were drugged before they were sexually exploited.

Human trafficking is a crime involving the act of recruiting, transporting, transferring, harboring or receiving a victim through the use of force, coercion, or other means for the purpose of exploiting them. It is a crime against humanity. In the case of the recently arrested individuals, they tricked the two minors to go with them by promising these minors with “money, good food, and good stuff.”

According to reports, the Australian citizen sells and uploads his videos having sex with children on the Internet. This is a clear online sexual abuse of children (OSAEC), which has been rampant during the time of pandemic since almost everyone has gone online. The increase of demand for its trade in the deep web increased. This alone enabled the exploiters to ride on and take advantage of the current situation.

The arrest of the alleged human traffickers in Cagayan de Oro is a manifestation that there is a continued investigation and surveillance on persons with suspicious activities. But with the increasing number of cases of trafficking in persons and online sexual abuse and exploitation, it is also unmistakably clear that there is still lack of awareness about this ever-growing problem.

We, KASO, appeal on to everyone to be vigilant and report any suspected offenders of human trafficking and/or victims of exploitation and abuse. We encourage everyone to always check on one another. The people we are talking to might have already been abused and exploited. We hope that justice will be served to all the victims. We push for the conviction and implementation of a punishment that corresponds to the gravity of the crime these offenders have committed.

KASO calls on to the other victims to report, contact, or get in touch with the local authorities or even our network Kagay-anon Against Sex Offenders (KASO) — a group of concerned civil society organizations from Cagayan de Oro City with a shared advocacy to protect children against sexual predators and human trafficking in our city immediately.

We are one with you in this fight!

#IAmNotForSale

#StopHumanTrafficking

#StopOSAEC