ILIGAN CITY — A woman was arrested during an entrapment operation conducted by the Iligan City Police Office (ICPO) Task Force on Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) after she allegedly sold her own 14-year-old sister online for sexual exploitation on May 28, 2026.
The suspect was apprehended in Purok 17, Barangay Palao, Iligan City for violating Republic Act 11930, also known as the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act.
Authorities successfully rescued the minor victim during the operation. Police identified the suspect as the biological sister of the victim, a revelation that shocked both law enforcement officers and child protection advocates involved in the case.
Recovered from the suspect were a Vivo cellphone believed to have been used in the illegal transaction and an identification card, which were turned over as evidence for further investigation and legal proceedings.
The operation was led by Police Major Alexander C. Lawan, Team Leader of the ICPO Task Force OSAEC, under the supervision of Police Lieutenant Colonel Reynante Doldol, Chief of the City Investigation and Detective Management Unit (CIDMU), and Police Colonel Mario M. Baquiran Jr., Officer-in-Charge of the ICPO.
Also participating in the coordinated operation were personnel from ICPS 5, ICPS 4, the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD), Iligan City Mobile Force Company (ICMFC), RIDMD 10, WCPC-MFU, the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), the Department of Justice Regional Anti-Cybercrime and Trafficking Task Force (DOJ RACETTF 10), the DOJ Iligan City Prosecutor’s Office, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWD-Iligan City), and the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 10 (DSWD-10).
Authorities emphasized that the case highlights the continuing threat of online sexual exploitation targeting children, including cases where abuse is allegedly facilitated by people within the victim’s own family.
Child protection advocates continue to warn that poverty, greed, and the widespread use of digital platforms have fueled the alarming rise of OSAEC cases in the Philippines, placing vulnerable children at grave risk of abuse and trafficking.
The Philippine National Police reiterated its commitment to intensifying its campaign against Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC), Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM), human trafficking, and all forms of abuse against minors.
Authorities also urged the public to immediately report suspicious online activities involving children, stressing that protecting minors from exploitation is a shared responsibility of families, communities, and government institutions.
Under Republic Act 11930, individuals found guilty of engaging in, facilitating, or profiting from online sexual exploitation and abuse of children face severe penalties, including lengthy imprisonment and substantial fines.