A mother has been sentenced to life imprisonment and fined P2 million after being found guilty of selling explicit photos and videos of her daughter online, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Tuesday.
According to a GMA News Online report, the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 86 convicted the woman for violating Republic Act 11930, also known as the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAEC) law, and the Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act in a ruling dated February 4, 2025.
The case was initially flagged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which reported suspected Filipino facilitators of online child exploitation. The Philippine National Police (PNP) acted on the tip, launching an investigation through its Women and Children Protection Center in Luzon.
Authorities discovered the mother using an online messaging app to offer explicit content of her child in exchange for money. This led to a surveillance operation and an entrapment sting, resulting in her arrest along with her husband, the alleged owner of the GCash account where payments were received.
During the operation, the daughter was caught in the act of performing sexual acts online while communicating with an undercover officer.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla praised the prosecution’s efforts in securing the conviction, emphasizing that parents should protect their children from harm rather than exploit them.
The husband, however, was acquitted due to a lack of sufficient evidence, the DOJ said.
