One of the memorable movies shown last year was “Alagwa: starting Jericho Rosales as the widower Robert Lim and Bugoy Cariño as the boy Brian.
Directed by Ian Loreños, it’s a heartbreaking story of the young father’s search for his son who was kidnapped in a mall.. Lim (Rosales) left the son in the Men’s Room to attend to something. When he returned for the boy, he was gone. Later, in the CCTV which the police officers obtained, they saw a man approach his son as the boy stepped out of the Men’s Room. The man must have said something to convince the boy to go with him. (Warning to parents: never leave your children, even for a moment, in public places.)
In Lim’s search for his son, he stepped into the harrowing world of child trafficking. Years later, he found his son a beggar in Hongkong.
There are many reasons why child is being trafficked. Some for adoption, in many cases forced labor which includes begging, and cybersex.
It is observed that human traffickers are seen operating actively in disaster-stricken areas like what is happening in Tacloban and Samar after typhoon Yolanda.
Last week, media carried the report of London’s National Crime Agency about the efforts they are doing in cooperation with United States and Australian authorities in breaking up a pedophile syndicate in the Philippines victimizing some 60,000 to 100,000 Filipino children (ages six to 15).
Children are made to perform sexual acts and the video are streamed live to the syndicate’s clients all over the world.
“Extreme poverty, the increasing availability of high-speed Internet and the existence of a vast and comparatively wealthy overseas customer base has led to organized crime groups exploiting children for financial gain,” the National Crime Agency said in its report.
The report said the investigation called Operation Endeavor covered 12 countries and led to the arrest of 17 British nationals. In the Philippines, the “epicenter” of the cybersex syndicate is Barangay Ibabao, a slum area in Mandaue, Cebu.
The NCA report said although some children are lured into the cybersex syndicate by pimps, some are pimped by their own parents.
The report quoted a police officer, Denis Comunay, relating of their raid of a “cybersex den”—a small house that was almost empty except for a dirty mattress on the floor and electric sockets hanging from the ceiling.
“Fathers and mothers would bring their children here to show, and would get paid by the owner of the house,” he said.
The report said clients are charged $100 each to watch the children perform sexual acts. One British guy said he paid 13 pounds (P959.00). Payment is made through international money transfers.
Pimp/Parents reason out that there is nothing wrong in what they are making their children do because no body contact with clients is involved. A perverse reasoning.
The NCA report confirms what is known as an open secret in Cebu. These illegal activities would not be possible without the cooperation of law enforcement officers as well as local officials.
Malacañang said the Aquino government is determined to stop human trafficking. Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said, “We don’t want to be identified as a haven for pedophiles.”
That will only happen if the perpetrators of those abominable crime are put behind bars.
Related article: Beware of vultures preying on Yolanda’s victims: http://www.ellentordesillas.com/2013/11/28/22847/
🙁
taken…
unthinkable to lose one’s own.
Palace said the Aquino Gov’t. is determined to stop human trafficking. Wow,,,hindi nyo kaya yan. Mr. Pnoy almost four years ka na up to now wala ka pang naipakukulong. Lalung lumala ang corruption. Nasa tabi mo lang sila pero hindi mo masawata. puro ka dada at paninisi pati kalikasan ay sinisi mo. ni hindi nyo masabi kung sino talaga ang rice smuggler na si Tan. Baka at the end ituro nyo si Babalu Tan. matagal nang RIP si Babalu.
Jojo, in fairness to Pnoy, human trafficking has been going on since before and would continue to be due to poverty. And the Catholic Church is now blaming the proliferation of cyber sex crimes to RH Bill. The Bishops still do not admit that over population is related to RH Bill which we need. Today, the Phil has 100M population. By the way, what happens to RH Bill already passed in Congress still pending at Supreme Court?
FYI:
GENEVA – United Nations child protection experts grilled Vatican delegates on Thursday on how Roman Catholic officials handled the decades-long sexual abuse of minors by priests that Pope Francis called “the shame of the Church”.
The officials, called to account for the first time since the Holy See signed the U.N. children’s rights charter in 1990, argued that the Church recognised the problem and had drawn up clear guidelines to protect children from predator priests.
But members of the U.N. Committee on the Rights of the Child and abuse victims attending the session in Geneva demanded far more transparency on a scandal that has hounded the Church for more than two decades in countries from Ireland to Australia.
Mannie totoo pala ang sabi na nakamamatay ang maling akala. kasi ang akala ko ang original na “Boy Pick-up” ay si Ogie Alcasid. si Mar Roxas pala ang “Boy Pick-up” sabi sa TV Patrol.
I like your sense of humor, Jojo. We need it at this time of crisis. Mar Roxas prefers to be called Mr. Palengke than Mr. Pick up Boy.
Many of us have watched and heard the speech of Sen. Bong Revilla. He did not speak. As usual, he just read the prepared speech apparently prepared by his lawyer. It was quite obvious that Bong was getting back at Malacanang. Instead of answering the charges, he threw mud at Pnoy. But setting all these aside, his speech was alarming considering that Pnoy meddled in Corona’s impeachment. Malacanang was quick to hold a press conference denying it. Later, the Palace admitted that Pnoy indeed told Bong to vote according to the merit of the case. But why? Why did he have to tell Bong who was a Judge at that time? It was inappropriate for a Chief Executive to even talk to a Senator-Judge before the decision. In fact, it could now be declared a mistrial. Who knows, Corona’s bright lawyers might be preparing for this; that is, mistrial of the case now that Bong has come out in the open. Previous to this, there was allegation of bribery by the Palace.
Bong is a non-performing senator meaning his roles is not that impressive at the Senate. Like Lito Lapid, his Senate seat is a waste. Why should the President talk to him individually? Why would a cabinet secretary (Roxas) personally drive Bong to meet the President? If Pnoy got to talk to Bong, we assume that he also talked to the other senators.
Let’s separate the two issues here. Bong might be guilty of corruption and even plunder in the Pork Barrel scam. But Pnoy is also guilty in meddling at Corona’s impeachment.
The next few days and weeks would be very interesting.
Dito magagaling ang mga politico natin.
Tapunan ng “BAHO”
Sumbungan na. Imbis na ipag tanggol or ipaliwanag ang sariling kaso. Eto na ang bukang bibig nila ngayon. Kesa lumapit si ganito, Kina usap ako..
Sa akin ay ikaw rin ang may kasalanan kung mag papadala ka sa mga bulong para mabili rin ang boto mo.
I see nothing wrong in PNoy’s pleading with senators to convict Corona on the basis of the evidence. In the first place, majority of Filipinos wanted Corona out of office. Impeachment is first and foremost a political process, so there is no way we could insulate the senator-judges from political influence and considerations. Revilla himself said that he would only do what is right and that precisely is what he did: vote for Corona’s conviction. Nagsisisi ba siya na bomoto siya ng ganun? O naghahanap lang siya ng tabla dahil wasak na wasak na siya dahil sa Napoles pork scam? Anak ng teteng naman si Panday oh, papalusot pa eh buking na buking na nga.
#8 I beg to disagree. Revilla was then a Judge not just a Senator. Assuming you’re a Judge in a court of law and a lawyer whether he represents the plaintiff or defendant invites you for lunch, what would you think? It’s highly unethical and a violation of lawyer’s code to do this. If you have something to say, you do it in front of the other lawyer; not just between you and the Judge. What if Corona invites other senators for dinner individually?
This is Revilla’s May 29, 2012 speech explaining his vote finding CJ Corona guilty. ‘Yan ba ang pinilit ng pangulo? ‘Yan ba ang rason ng biktima diumano ng unethical presidential behavior?
“Mga kababayan, I stand here today in a historic moment when we render judgment not to one ordinary citizen but to the highest official of our coequal branch in government, the chief justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.
As the late President Theodore Roosevelt said: “A nation must be judged in part by the character of its public men, not merely by their abilities, but their ideals and the measure in which they realized these ideals; by their attitude in real life, and much more by their attitude in public life, both as regards their conception of their duties toward their country and their conception of their duty embodied in its government towards its own people.”
I have heard all the arguments, considered all pieces of evidence of the prosecution and the defense and heard directly from the Honorable Chief Justice himself. As much as the chief justice of the Republic of the Philippines expects and demands, and he is worthy of all the respect and considerations due to his office and to his person, he, in return, has the responsibility to be the epitome of a public servant with the highest ethical standards.
Bilang pinakamataas na mahistrado ng bansang itoy ang kaniyang panunungkulan ay dapat walang bahid kahit katiting dahil sa mandato ng kaniyang katungkulan at kahalagahan ng kanyang posisyon.
In the end, I arrived with the conclusion that through his own direct admission, the chief justice failed to properly disclose all of his assets in the SALN. This, therefore, has necessary consequences that attach to the position he
holds in trust. I prayed hard for divine providence and guidance in this one great decision of my life, Mr. President.
Napakahirap man, alang-alang sa pagkakaisa at paghilom ng ating bayan, alang-alang sa pagpapatibay ng mga institusyon ng ating pamahalaan, alang-alang sa mga darating pang henerasyon at ng ating kinabukasan, I find Chief Justice Renato C. Corona guilty.”
#10 There are many ways to persuade. A simple invitation sometimes sends the signal. If there’s an important decision to be made and you know the person who invites you is on one side, then you know what he wants. Simple comments like: “You take care of it”, “I hope you make the right decision”, send the same signal.
Revilla’s speech was most likely not prepared and made by him. This guy was and is an idiot. He was reading a prepared speech/statement made by his writer or lawyer. Since he already made up his mind to convict Corona, then of course he would make his speech beautiful and convincing. But that was then…to please Pnoy. Today, he’s faced with the greatest challenge of his life and Pnoy could not help Bong.
There was a rumor or report that one of the senators was willing to surrender all the money he stole on the condition that he be not charged. That senator was Bong Revilla.
kahit kailan ay hindi nawawalan ng kamanghamanghang istorya ‘yang si kap. akala niya ay matatabunan ng pagmamaangmaangan, pagbaluktot at pag-iwas sa isyu ang anumang kanyang pananagutan. pakiramdam niya ay palagi siyang nasa harap ng kamera. umaarte at nagsasalita ayon sa iskrip ng pelikula.
nakakalimutan siguro niyang matagal na siyang isang hunyangong laging handang magpalit ng kulay kapag nalalagay sa alanganin bunga ng kanyang kawalang kasiyahan.
kailan ba siya naging isang kapakipakinabang na mambabatas?
hindi ba’t pumapagitna lamang siya kapag inaakala niyang magiging sentro siya ng mga papuri kahit kung tutuusin ay walang kalatoylatoy ang isyu at malayo sa trabaho niya bilang isang senador?
nariyan at makapagpapatunay sina katrina halili at maricar reyes.
#12, but Katrina ang Maricar were Hayden’s girls, not Bong’s. 🙂
What happened? I was just reading your blog post on Bong Revilla’s privilege speech and I signed in to post a comment. But now it’s gone!
I must be imagining things, no?
Ha? I still have to post it. Maybe you read it in Malaya?
Kung Matino si Bong ay dapat alam niya na di siya dapat kausapin or pumunta kay Pnoy.
Ngayon ay nag tatalak siya para ano? makakuha ng awa sa bayan.
Ang magnanakaw ang magagaling sa pag kukulimbat pero pag nabisto ay di na nila alam ang gagawin. Nagiging maliit na bata at daldal ng daldal hanggang lalong nabubuko.
Iyan ang lumalabas sa bibig ni Bong ngayon.
Sayang ang mga inu upuan nila sa Senate.
Mannie, to my re-collection nang kasagsagan ng pork barrel issue, si Corona ay pumapel or eme-pal at sumama sa rally. What the people did is they booo & souted at Corona. People are saying we don’t need you here ( Corona ) so napahiya siya at umalis sa rally. What I’m saying ayaw ng madlang people ng Pinas kay Corona. Kaya tila sayang ang laway ni Atty: Roy sa kanyang pahayag sa TV Patrol na puwedeng ma impeach si Pnoy. Tama ang sabi mo na it will be something interesting ang mga susunod na days & weeks.
Jojo, thanks for your opinion. Yes, Corona was guilty but are we certain all the Justices at Supreme Court past and present are also clean? Some were as corrupt and even worse. Corona was unfortunate to be the center of Pnoy’s plan to get rid of from the very beginning.
Corona attended the rally which was a wrong move. His impeachment was still fresh in people’s mind. The media, Malacanang, Pnoy’s allies and all those who hate him have succeeded in destroying him. But with this revelation by Bong and the long report of Pnoy’s influencing the impeachment, the table might turn against him. Let’s just wait and see.
Corona is guilty simula pa lang siya ay ma appoint ni Gloria.
Diba bawal ang midnight appt. sinasabi sa batas. Binale wala niya at ng ibang Husgago.
Kaya simula palang ay ginago na nila ang batas.
Tama ba ako na si Corona ay midnight appt. ni Midget???
Kagaya ng style ni Junggoy, inililihis lang ni Revilla ang usapan. Bakit ngayon lang siya nagtatalak kung sa palagay niya ay mali pala ang pakikipag-meeting nya with PNoy? Gusto ko marining kay mandaramBong ang ganito: “Nagsisisi ako sa boto kong for conviction, mali yun. Kung hindi sa suhol na additional pork barrel, not guilty sana boto ko. Kaya mga kababayan, sorry na lang po ha.” Pero ang narinig natin kay mandaramBong ay ganito: “Mr. President (Aquino), I will do what is right for the country.” And what did he do? He voted for conviction.
# 13, di ba’t si revilla ang nagpanukala ng senate inquiry upang kalkalin ang tungkol sa pagkalat ng sex video’ng kinasasangkutan ng dalawang babae kay hayden mho, este kho?
trabaho ba ng senado ang pagtuunan ng pansin ang ganyang mga usapin?
problema sa bong revilla na ‘yan ay sobra siyang ma-EPAL, eh. isip niya palagi merong kamerang nakatutok sa kanya tulad ng eksena sa kanyang mga pelikula na siya lagi ang bida.
kaya nandiyan ang mga kupal na katuald niya sa senado ay dahil sa pagboto sa kanila ng mga botanteng BOBO at TANGA na madali nilang mauto!
Mr. Rivera, Bong also has his sex escapade. He has some children from other women.
# 22. ‘yan nga problema sa kanya, eh. mahilig maghalungkat ng dumi ng iba pero hindi niya maamoy ‘yung baho ng sariling tae sa mismong puno ng ilong niya.