Two men were arrested by police in Cavite for allegedly sexually abusing four teen boys and taking videos of the supposed abuse, the Philippine National Police Women and Children’s Protection Center (PNP WCPC) said on Monday.
In a statement, the PNP WCPC did not name the suspects, only saying they were aged 26 and 27. The youngest of the victims was 15, while the eldest was 19.
Police caught the suspects at their home in General Mariano Alvarez following a warrant to search, seize, and examine computer data after a case referral by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
‘The suspects invited the minor victims to the residence of one of the suspects, where they sexually abused the victims while the other suspect recorded the acts on video and stored them online,’ the WCPC said.
‘The victims were reportedly paid between P500 and P600 in exchange for engaging in these acts,’ it added.
The PNP WCPC did not mention how the suspects and the victims met.
The victims were taken into the protective custody of the municipal social welfare and development office for psychosocial interventions. In contrast, the arrested suspects were taken into the custody of the WCPC Luzon Field Unit.
The suspects now face complaints for violation of Republic Act No. 11930 or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act; and RA No. 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act before the Department of Justice.
The complaints were in relation to RA No. 10175 or the Cybercrime Prevention Act.