A QUEZON City trial court has sentenced to life imprisonment a mother whom it found guilty of peddling private photos and live lewd performances of her 15-year-old daughter online.
In a 21-page decision dated February 3, 2025, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 86 sentenced the mother, identified only in court documents as “BBB,” to suffer the penalty of life imprisonment and to pay a fine amounting to P2 million for violating Section 4(a) of Republic Act No. 11930, or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act.
“After a careful study of the evidence presented by the parties, the court finds the prosecution was able to prove the guilt of accused BBB beyond reasonable doubt of violation of Section 4 (a) of RA 11930,” Acting Presiding Judge Roslyn Rabara – Tria held in her 24-page decision.
The case stemmed from information provided by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation about alleged Filipino facilitators of OSAEC.
The PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management – Women and Children Protection Center Luzon Field Unit then conducted an investigation on the information shared by the FBI.
The police managed to communicate with the accused mother through online messaging app WhatsApp, where the mother offered explicit content of her own daughter in exchange for money.
After surveillance and investigation, police operatives launched an entrapment operation against the accused where her daughter was caught in the act of performing sexual acts online while chatting with an undercover agent who posed as a foreigner.
This led to the arrest of accused BBB and his husband CCC, who tried to escape during the entrapment operation. CCC supposedly owns the electronic wallet account where the undercover sent his payment.
State prosecutors filed the charges before the court in January 2024.
In its resolution, the court held that the prosecution was able to present enough evidence to warrant the conviction of the accused.
“The testimony of Police Corporal Cajigal, the online investigator, proved that BBB used her daughter for online sexual purposes and online sexual activity by means of sending videos and photos through the use of the application WhatsApp, a software program that runs on devices and included in the term ‘information and communications technology,’” the court said.
The court also took notice of the testimonies of arresting officers Patrolman Obeso and Police Master Sergeant Manlangit that the accused asked Cajigal for money in exchange for her minor child’s naked show.
It was the testimony of the accused’s daughter that proved devastating to BBB’s defense, after she told the court that her mother “took photos of her body” and posted it online through Facebook messenger.
“She also said that her mother, accused BBB, received the payment in exchange for her photos and videos through her father’s GCash account. Her mother told her that the GCash account was registered under accused CCC’s name,” the court said, referring to the victim’s father.
The court said BBB did not present any evidence to refute the allegations against her.
The court, however, acquitted the victim’s father CCC, saying the prosecution “failed to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.”
It said the prosecution was not able to prove that the father permitted or influenced his daughter to engage, participate or assist on any form of CSAEM.
“In addition, his daughter AAA, testified that her father, accused CCC, does not know anything about the transactions between her mother, accused BBB, and the person she had a video call,” the court held in acquitting the victim’s father.
With this, the court ordered his release from detention.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla commended the prosecution panel for securing the conviction of the accused.
The member of the prosecution panel are Assistant State Prosecutor Gino Angelo Yanga, Prosecution Attorneys Criselda Teoxon-Yanga, Eugene Yusi, and Angelica Sy.
“By nature, every parent is expected to shield their child against harm, abuse or any form of exploitation and a parent who does otherwise will face the full extent of justice,” Remulla said in a brief statement.
