By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

The Department of Social Services and Development (DSSD) is currently evaluating the six children who were earlier rescued by police from a cybersex den in Barangay 26, Bacolod City.

In a phone interview, DSSD head Pacita Terro said the evaluation is meant to determine if the children are suffering from psychological trauma after being pimped by a 35-year-old suspect, whose identity is still being withheld by authorities.

According to Terro, the victims are in good condition.

She stressed, however, the children are unaware that what they were doing was illegal.

Terro has also refused to provide additional details as to what exactly was being done to the victims during the live sex show that was broadcast online.

She did confirm, however, the raid was carried out after the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) received information from a law enforcement group outside the country.

Terro also stated there was an ongoing live show at the time of the raid and the Philippine National Police (PNP) are coordinating with international law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States, to locate the viewers, whom she referred to as “pedophiles.”

Earlier, BCPO acting director, Police Senior Superintendent Jack Wanky, said they caught the suspect in the act of pimping the victims in exchange for amounts between P1,000 and P25,000 from foreign viewers on the internet.

The suspect faces charges in violation of the cybercrime law, child abuse, and trafficking./DGB, WDJ