The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said a 14-day old baby was among the 636 victims of child exploitation who have been rescued in police operations since 2022.
“Meron din po tayong na-rescue na 14-day old na bata naman na binebenta naman online at nilalako for adoption po. May nahuli din po tayo dyan na mga suspect at nakakulong na po,” PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Jean Fajardo said in a press briefing on Monday.
(We also rescued a 14-day-old child who was being sold online and peddled for adoption. We also caught several suspects who have been detained.).
Aside from this, Fajardo said a four-month old infant was also rescued in another police operation that resulted in the arrest of its mother and aunt.
Fajardo said the age group with the most number of rescued victims is between 15 to 19 years old with 201 victims, followed by 10 to 14 years old with 193 and five to nine years old with 114.
Since 2022, the PNP has conducted 307 operations targeting crimes related to online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), which led to the arrest of 167 suspects, filing of 218 cases, and 12 convictions.
PNP chief Police General Rommel Marbil commended the efforts of the Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) as well as the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) in rescuing victims and capturing perpetrators.
Marbil pointed out the importance of technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), in boosting investigative efforts against OSAEC.
“AI-powered tools are transforming the way we solve crimes and rescue victims, especially in cases involving the dark web. These technologies enable us to analyze vast amounts of data, identify suspects with greater precision, and swiftly respond to emerging threats,” he said.
In a command conference last week, President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. directed the police organization to prioritize addressing child exploitation.
“The President also stressed that no crime is worse than the exploitation of children, urging the police force to intensify efforts in protecting the youth from all forms of abuse and exploitation,” the PNP said.
“This aligns with his administration’s commitment to safeguarding vulnerable sectors of society,” it added.
—RF, GMA Integrated News
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