The Commission on Human Rights in Central Visayas (CHR-7) has begun investigating Mayor Efren “Gungun” Gica of Dumanjug, Cebu, after a viral video showed him hitting the father of a child abuse victim.
The footage, recorded on August 22, captured the visibly enraged mayor confronting the man, who is reportedly his relative. The confrontation came after the man and his partner allegedly sold sexually explicit videos of minors, including their own three-year-old child, to foreign clients through messaging apps.
Authorities revealed that minors were exploited for profit, with one child forced to perform acts on camera that earned between ₱30,000 and ₱50,000 per video. The woman involved was also accused of stripping during online calls, reportedly receiving up to ₱20,000 per performance. The case surfaced after an 11-year-old girl told her grandmother she had been pressured by her aunt to strip in exchange for money.
CHR-7 Director Arvin Odron confirmed that investigators will gather statements from the victims and their families and later seek Gica’s side. He stressed that the government has a duty to uphold human rights and ensure public officials remain accountable.
The mayor said he was first informed of the abuse on August 18 by the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office. He called police to investigate and confronted the suspects at his home the following day, where he struck the man after an initial denial of the allegations.
Gica later uploaded the video himself on social media, where it quickly spread, amassing millions of views. In a separate statement, the mayor vowed to crack down on abuse and crime, warning that even relatives and local officials would not be spared.
“My administration will not tolerate child abuse, rape, child pornography, or drug pushing,” Gica declared. He added that he is willing to “get his hands dirty” to rid his town of such crimes.
