- NBI XI arrests 3 in online child exploitation ring; 5 minors rescued
THE NATIONAL Bureau of Investigation (NBI) XI cracked down on an alleged family-run online child sexual exploitation ring in Davao Oriental, leading to the arrest of a married couple and the children’s uncle.
Five children, including the couple’s minor daughters, were rescued in the operation conducted in Barangay San Jose, Lupon town, at 11 a.m. on June 3, 2025.
In a press conference held on Thursday morning at their regional office, NBI XI director Arcelito Albao identified the suspects only by their ages—a 31-year-old woman, her 34-year-old husband, and his 40-year-old brother.
The five rescued children include a 13-year-old boy and four girls aged 11, 9, 7, and 4 years old. The two youngest girls are daughters of the uncle, while the three others are the children of the arrested couple.
All children are now under the protective custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The NBI filed three separate cases against the arrested individuals: qualified child trafficking under Republic Act 9208, violation of Republic Act 11930 (Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act), and Republic Act 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act).
“This was the order of our director (retired judge Jaime Santiago) to arrest these people because they were selling their minor children online to foreigners,” Albao stated.
Modus operandi and evidence
According to Albao, the suspects allegedly live-streamed their kids in various sexual play in exchange for payments from foreign clients through online platforms like PayPal and Gcash.
The NBI recovered receipts indicating transactions, including one for P125,000, suggesting a significant number of viewers. One “show” of a child reportedly fetched P16,000.
“We have sufficient evidence,” Albao emphasized, revealing that the operation involved an entrapment and a search warrant issued by Lupon Regional Trial Court Judge Emilio Dayanghirang. “We have the evidence under technical or forensic examination this time, and aside from that, we conducted surveillance.”
Agent Vicente Essex Minguez, the case agent, elaborated on the disturbing details.
He said NBI operatives posed as customers to catch the suspects. He added that sex toys for both men and women were recovered. The illicit activities were reportedly conducted in the mother’s room, at any time of the day, as long as there were clients.
“We received information, particularly from our agents in Manila from the Anti-Human Trafficking Division, that these parents and the man’s brother were selling their children online to foreigners,” Albao added.
He clarified that the clients were exclusively foreign nationals, with no Filipinos involved in viewing the shows.
Rescue and aftermath
Albao noted the profound impact on the children, observing that “they are not ordinary children anymore. At their young age, they were exploited in this situation. The children we rescued were crying, saying they were forced or blocked by their parents when they didn’t want to perform.”
The NBI XI director also revealed that a foreign handler, whose identity cannot yet be disclosed, is involved, and they are coordinating with foreign counterparts to pursue this lead.
Suspects’ statements
When questioned, the 31-year-old mother claimed her husband was jobless and cited their dire financial situation as the reason for engaging in the activity, which she said began about six months ago.
“Sa kapait ug walay trabaho akong bana,” she said.
She admitted using her children because it was “requested by the American” clients, and that she found the business through a website.
She claimed her children would “model and dance,” initially only identifying her 11-year-old daughter as being used for online sexual exploitation. She also admitted to being involved in online shows with male clients herself.
“Nakonsensya man ko pero dili pud ko katanaw ug walay kaunon akong mga anak, tulo gud na sila nangaskwela. Dili pud ko katrabaho,” she further said.
The 34-year-old husband, an on-call construction worker, denied full knowledge of the extent of the activities.
“I didn’t know about that. All I knew was my wife was chatting with Americans,” he claimed, adding, “We talked about it because of hardship, but I didn’t know my child was involved.”
He also stated he was unaware of the income generated from the online shows.
Commitment to justice
This marks the first online sex trafficking case reported in Davao Oriental, according to the NBI. Albao indicated that a larger international organization might be behind this operation.
“We are used to this kind of apprehension. Once we locate and learn of such violations involving trafficked children, we immediately act,” Albao stated, assuring that cases filed by NBI-11 are meticulously built to ensure conviction. “We make sure they don’t get out, and that the children can continue their studies with the help of DSWD.”
He also issued a stern warning to other parents involved in similar activities: “We are monitoring and surveilling many more cases here in Region XI. There might be more coming, and we will assure that all such activities will be acted upon and that we will put them in jail.”
“To parents doing this kind of thing, stop now, because we know where to find you. The NBI knows where to catch you, and we will not stop until we put you in jail,” Albao concluded.
