Not all threats are found on the streets; some lurk inside homes, behind silent cameras and glowing monitors that exploit innocent children. To curb this pervasive yet often hidden crime, top officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and its partners gathered in Lapu-Lapu City on May 25-26, 2026. The two-day WCPC Leadership Peer Exchange on OSAEC Operations brought together officers from the Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) and the International Justice Mission (IJM) Philippines to intensify the pursuit of Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC).
The Hidden Crime Within Families
Unlike other offenses, OSAEC is particularly distressing because the perpetrators are often parents or relatives whom the child trusts. This includes livestreaming the abuse of young victims to foreign predators in exchange for payment. According to a 2022 study by IJM, one in every 100 Filipino children has experienced such abuse.
“It’s easy to think this is just happening online, but it’s not,” said Evelyn G. Pingul, director of community engagement at IJM Philippines. “This is real abuse with lasting harm to children. Every time someone chooses to speak up and report suspected cases, we have a chance to interrupt that harm, hold offenders accountable, and protect more children from going through the same trauma.”
Urgency and Survivor Voices
Police Brigadier General Maria Sheila T. Portento, chief of the PNP-WCPC, emphasized that every moment counts when a child is in danger. A survivor identified only as Pamela shared her story, stressing the need to listen to victims so they do not feel blamed or treated as criminals during rescue operations and interviews.
Protecting children begins at the barangay level through the passage of local ordinances and coordination between social workers and police.
