THE Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed before the Calamba, Laguna Regional Trial Court multiple criminal charges against a pimp who allegedly peddled online young boys to foreigners for live sex or explicit photos/videos in exchange for money.
In a 10-page resolution, the DOJ Task Force on Women and Children and Against Trafficking in Persons found probable cause to indict respondent Jhon Patrick Carmona for qualified trafficking in persons under Republic Act (RA) No. 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003) as further amended by RA No. 11862 (Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2022).
“Respondent Carmona committed trafficking in persons, since he offered the sexual services of the three vulnerable minor victims to the undercover foreigner for a fee,” the DOJ resolution stated.
The task force headed by deputy state prosecutor Olivia Laroza-Torrevillas and senior assistant state prosecutor Josie Christina Dugay charged Carmona with three counts of qualified trafficking of minors.
The Task Force recommended no bail for each of the charges.
Meanwhile, the complaint for violation of RA No. 11930 (Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation for Children (OSAEC) and Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) was referred for further preliminary investigation.
Acting on a tip from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about the distribution of Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) by the accused, the National Bureau of Investigation-Human Trafficking Division (NBI-HTRAD) discovered an X account (formerly Twitter) allegedly used by the respondent to sell young boys to foreigners.
Using undercover agents, the NBI-HTRAD was able to establish a series of communications with the respondent, mostly involving the suspects’ demand for money in exchange of lewd photos/videos of young boys via messaging application Telegram.
As the familiarity between the undercover agents and respondent grew, the respondent offered to meet-up with the undercover agent on the suspect’s offer of three young boys for sex.
A rescue operation was laid out and Carmona was arrested while the three young were recovered.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla on Monday vowed to be relentless in the DOJ’s campaign against human traffickers, especially those who prey on minors.
Remulla issued the warning as he lauded the DOJ’s filing of multiple criminal charges against Carmona.
“We will never stop or slow down our campaign against human traffickers until every single one of them falls in the hands of justice,” Remulla said.
“The government is determined more than ever to eliminate elements who continue to prey on the vulnerable sector of society-children and women, the most. Let us build a safe and healthy environment where the young are protected,” he added.
