UN says child porn widespread in Philippines

UN says child porn widespread in Philippines

Stuart Grudgings, Reuters/Manila

Production of child pornography in the Philippines, often run by
international syndicates, is far more widespread and systematic
than previously thought, the head of the United Nations
children's fund (Unicef) in the country said on Wednesday.

Early results from a study into the problem commissioned by
Unicef show that authorities have underestimated the problem in
the Southeast Asian country, Dr. Nicholas Alipui told Reuters.

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

"The way I would put it is that the problem is much more
complex than people actually are aware of. By complex, I mean
that it involves networks of individuals who are practicing these
devious acts and have international connections."

Philippine police said they rescued about 70 children, some as
young as five, from a child pornography ring when they raided a
house south of Manila in early July.

Seven suspects, including a Japanese man, were arrested.

The government said on Wednesday 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."

Alipui said there were no figures yet available on the number
of criminal groups and children involved.

But the initial study results, based on interviews with local
communities throughout the country, suggested that the problem
was much bigger than previously assumed.

Child pornography in the Philippines has not been as
thoroughly investigated as it has in many other Southeast Asian
countries, and this would likely be the first comprehensive
study, he said.

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

Alipui said the government was doing everything it could to
stamp out the problem, but that 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 digitalized 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.

"It is clear we need a larger mobilization, we need to adopt
different strategies to be able to combat this."