Philippines vows crackdown on online child sex abuse

MANILA, Jan 18 (AFP): The Philippines on Saturday vowed to crack down on online child sex abuse, days after a global police operation dismantled a paedophile ring that streamed live sexual abuse of Filipino children over the Internet.

Police in Britain, Australia and the Philippines Thursday said they had jointly cracked a paedophile ring which exploited children as young as six. In some cases the victims' parents were involved.

"We will not countenance any syndicates that will (prey) on our minors and that they will be used... as sexual instruments. That is something that we will really pound the hammer on," President Benigno Aquino's spokesman Edwin Lacierda told reporters.

"Certainly, actions will be taken to address the situation. This is really a concern for us because we've always said that the youth is (the) future of the nation," he added.

Lacierda conceded that the problem had been "under the radar" but said law-enforcement agencies were now placing greater emphasis on fighting the crime.

He also said that an anti-cybercrime law-passed in September 2012 but later blocked by the Supreme Court-could have helped the Philippines in its efforts to tackle the crime.

The court is still hearing a legal challenge over the law's provisions on online libel and giving the state the power to shut down websites and monitor online activities.