Crack down on widespread child porn, Manila told

Thousands of children are believed to have been exploited by international syndicates producing child porn in the country, says Unicef

August 5, 2004

Manila - Child pornography has become widespread in the Philippines and the government should take measures to curb its growth, the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) said yesterday.

Early results from a study into the problem commissioned by Unicef show that the authorities have underestimated the problem in the country, said Unicef's Philippines representative Nicholas Alipui.

'What we have are initial results that show the situation is very serious. The problem is real,' he said.

'It is possible it is affecting thousands of children.'

The study, conducted by the University of the Philippines Centre for Integrated Development Studies, suggested there were 'multiple locations' around the country where child pornography was being produced, often by international syndicates, Mr Alipui said.

'What is shocking is the extensive network that the perpetrators are using,' he said.

Mr Alipui said there were no figures yet available on the number of criminal groups and children involved, but the study found such operations were 'much more complex' than expected.

'By complex, I mean that it involves networks of individuals who are practising these devious acts and have international connections.'

Child pornography has received little national attention aside from a raid outside Manila last month which rescued 70 children from a child pornography ring and resulted in the arrest of seven people, including a Japanese.

The government, citing the busting of the ring, said yesterday it had been vigilant against the exploitation of children.

'Our law enforcers are on the ball through special units for the protection of children and women,' presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye said in a statement.

'We are addressing this problem but the cooperation of the parents and the local community is imperative.'

Mr Alipui said child pornography in the Philippines had not been as thoroughly investigated as it has in many other South-east Asian countries, and this would likely be the first comprehensive study.

Several factors have made the country vulnerable to the problem, including poverty and public tolerance of prostitution, while advances in Internet technology have made images easier to spread.

Mr Alipui said the government was doing everything it could to stamp out the problem, but that the police may need to take a more pro-active response in breaking up pornography gangs rather than waiting for victims to come forward.

'When a child is engaged or involved in child pornography of a type that is digitalised and taken away in a camera and so on, you normally don't have the child coming to complain to the parents or to the police. You have no complainant,' he said.

The Unicef study, which began last year and will be completed next month, is part of a wider programme looking into the sexual exploitation of children.

It was based on interviews with parents, children, social workers, law enforcers and non-government organisations throughout the country.

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Unicef expresses alarm over child porn in Philippines
8-4-2004