Press Release
September 27, 2007

CLOSE INTERNET CAFES
PATRONIZING KIDDIE PORN - REVILLA

In support of the National Day of Awareness and Unity against Child Pornography, Senator Ramon "Bong "Revilla Jr. called on law enforcement agencies and local governments to lock-up internet cafes in its jurisdiction that tolerate access to child pornography websites.

According to the senator, internet technology exacerbates the production and distribution of child pornography due to the simple "upload-download" system of copying of materials.

He stressed that owners of internet cafes should not only think about making profits but should also help the government on pursuing a child-friendly society.

"The advantage of having modern communications system such as the internet should not be abused to the extent of promoting child pornography just to earn money. Internet cafes offering access to Kiddie porn and other pornographic websites have no right to operate anywhere in the country" Revilla said. "There are a lot of programs available in the market that could easily and readily refuse access to porn sites."

Revilla made this statement in support to the declaration today (Friday, September 28) of the Anti-Child Pornography Alliance (ACPA), a Church-based group, as a National Day of Awareness and Unity against Child Pornography. The lawmaker lauded ACPA and the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for exerting efforts to draw up public awareness and cooperation against child pornography.

He pointed out that law-enforcement agencies need the cooperation of the people to curb the proliferation of child pornography in the country.

"Vigilance shows that we truly care for our children. Every Filipino child has the right to protection against exploitation under the child and youth welfare code. It's a nature for them to play, not to be played with or treated as a sex toy," Revilla said.

He appealed to local governments to revoke the operating license of internet cafes that allow customers to view and download child pornography materials. "The guilty internet caf owners should be persecuted and forever banned from operating," he added.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said that while some data on child prostitution are available, they may not reflect the potentially even larger number of children being victimized through child pornography.

The organization End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT) reported that Philippine police data indicates that phone cameras or so-called "cybersex cafes" (where commercial sexual performances are broadcast in real time using web cameras) are increasingly being used to produce child pornography.

Revilla earlier filed Senate Bill No. 12 or the "Anti Pornography Act" which aims to slap stiffer penalties against those who publish, broadcast and exhibit pornographic materials through the use of traditional media, the internet, the "cyberspace" cellular phones and other forms of media.

Under SB 12, any person who shall cause the publication, broadcast, exhibition or selling of pornographic materials shall be punished with 12 to 20 years imprisonment and a fine of not less than two hundred fifty thousand pesos. Any person who helps in the commission of the crime will face 12 year imprisonment and fine of not less than one hundred thousand pesos.

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