ASEC. DE VERA: Magandang hapon, Malacañang Press Corps. Narito si Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles.

SEC. CRUZ-ANGELES: Magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat. Unang-una, I suppose you’ve heard, nag-issue na po kami ng announcement na ang trabaho at saka pasok sa lahat ng lebel in the public sector ay suspendido na po today and tomorrow.

Sa pribadong sektor, base iyon doon sa discretion ng employers. Pero rekomendado na isuspinde na rin.

Bukod po dito, kanina ay nag-Cabinet meeting kami ng alas nuwebe ng umaga. Ang nag-report po ng priority programs and projects ay ang Department of Migrant Workers at saka Department of Labor and Employment.

Sa Department of Migrant Workers, nagpresinta po sila ng mga plano ukol doon sa repatriation, digitalization, negotiations – these are bilateral labor agreements – programs for OFW kids; reintegration of OFWs, scholarships, protection and health.

Para naman sa Department of Labor and Employment, nagpresinta ng context, mandates, structure and role in the socio-economic agenda; program, priorities and strategic linkages, at saka ways forward.

They will discuss the details later on, possibly next week, for the specifics of their plans and programs.

Ngayong araw na ito, kasama namin para magpresinta ng kanilang programa si DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos; DOJ Secretary – puwede na bang nickname na lang? – Boying Remulla. Nagpaalam muna ako, siyempre; DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo; Chief PNP, General Rodolfo Azurin, Jr; NBI Chief Medardo de Lemos; Homeland Ricardo Navalta; our UN Envoy, Mrs. Nikki Teodoro; and of course, Secretary Ivan John Uy of DICT.

Okay, for the opening presentation will be our Secretary of the Interior and Local Government – Secretary Benhur Abalos.

DILG SEC. ABALOS: Maraming salamat, Secretary Trixie. At magandang hapon po sa lahat ng mga nanunood and of course, sa ating mga media partners.

Kaya ho kami nagkaroon ngayon ng joint presscon – kung titingnan ninyo, ito ay inter-agency – ito ay talagang pagkakaisa ng gobyerno laban dito sa cyber pornography or exploitation of children. Dahil hindi maganda ang nangyayari rito and in fact, iyong record ng Pilipinas ay hindi maganda sa buong mundo.

Ano ba itong online exploitation of children? Ano itong mga batas na ito? Dalawa po iyan, ito iyong Republic Act # 9775 or iyong Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 at itong Republic Act # 9208 or iyong Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act. So dalawang batas ang ating pagbabasehan dito.

So anong ibig sabihin ng online sexual exploitation of children? Kung titingnan natin ang batas, primarily ito ay produksiyon, just the mere production for the purpose of online publication of sexual abuse or exploitation of a minor in exchange for compensation. So ito iyong sinasabi natin na online sexual exploitation.

On the other hand, ano naman ang ibig sabihin ng child pornography? It is any representation, visual, audio or written combination thereof by electronic, mechanical, digital, optical, magnetic or any other means, of a child engaged or involved in real or simulated explicit sexual activity. So naka-define po lahat ito.

Sumunod, tingnan natin, ano ang pagkakaiba nitong online sexual exploitation of children against child pornography law? So iyong isa, iyong online sexual, pino-prohibit ang sexual exploitation, act of exploitation; and when victim is a child, no threat, force or coercion. Basta bata ito, hindi mo na kailangang takutin pa or i-coerce. Ako ay nananawagan sa lahat, nakasabi sa batas, basta ito ay bata, hindi mo na kailangang takutin pa. Need to be proven is only the fact of exploitation – iyon lang ang kailangan.

Ano naman ang child pornography? Ang pino-prohibit dito ay ang media itself – ano ang ibig sabihin noon? Any act related to the creation or production, sale or distribution, broadcast or promotion, use or possession of child pornography.

So klaro na po sa atin na ito talaga ay para proteksiyunan ang mga bata laban sa exploitation at saka sa child pornography.

Ngayon, ang tanong rito: Ano ba ang mga data natin sa trafficking of persons? Ito ang mga data natin ngayon, magmula 2017 hanggang 2022 at diyan po nakasaad ang operation conducted, ang number of cases filed, ang under investigation and of course, number of convicted persons.

Ito namang sumunod na data ay iyong data sa child pornography magmula 2016 hanggang 2022. So kung titingnan ninyo, out of 103 cases, ang nai-file ay 67; ang nasarado ay tatlo sa kasong ito.

Bakit importante ito? Bakit ganoon kahalaga na makikita ninyo na halos lahat ng ahensiya ng gobyerno na may kinalaman talaga sa hustisya ay nandito ngayon, pati of course, si Ma’am Nikki sa United Nations. Napakaimportante nito dahil ito ang epekto sa mga bata ‘no, kasi iniisip nila camera lang iyan. Sabi nga kanina sa akin ni Sec. Erwin, iyong iba pinapakita walang ulo. But then, matindi ang epekto sa bata nito. At ito, nakalagay rito, aside from the fact that it violates the rights of the children. Of course, marami pang iba – feeling of shame, unworthiness, etc., withdrawal and isolation – marami pong epekto ito.

So ngayon, ano ang initiatives ng PNP laban sa child pornography? So bukod sa ginagawa nilang mga imbestigasyon, mga panghuhuli, pagpa-file ng kaso, mayroon silang cooperation now with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, iyang mga Aleng Pulis program, MOA sa iba’t ibang ano, and conduct of lectures, etc.

Ano naman ang initiatives ng DILG laban sa trafficking in persons and child pornography? Nakasaad po lahat iyan – tandaan ninyo, ang DILG ay kasama namin ang kapulisan dito ‘no – so bukod dito ay mayroon din kaming iniimbestigahan, lahat, pina-file ang kaso. Mayroon din kaming mga cooperation sa ibang inter-agency.

So ano ang mga rekomendasyon na gagawin pa at dapat pa naming gawin? Of course, kailangan paigtingin natin, kaya nandito si Secretary Ivan Uy dahil ito ay kakaiba – ito ay teknikal. Kailangang mag-procure kami. Titingnan namin anong benchmark namin, kung okay na ba kami ngayon o kailangan pa bang gandahan pa namin itong software namin para sa online investigation namin. Of course, iyong koordinasyon sa mga local government units ‘no, iyong capacity building hanggang barangay level. Dapat katulong natin ang mga tao sa ibaba rito, mas magiging maganda ang resulta kung tulung-tulong ang bawat isa.

Lahat pong ito ay nilagay ko na lang dito at nandiyan po ang mga rekomendasyon namin. Pasensiya na at marami pa hong magsasalita. Ang gusto ko lang sabihin ay makikita ninyo kung gaano kami kaseryoso rito, ganoon kadami ang ahensiyang lalaban po rito. Tulungan ninyo po kami rito.

Maraming salamat po.

ASEC. DE VERA: Next to speak, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla.

DOJ SEC. REMULLA: Thank you. Magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat. Isa pong maulan na hapon, ngunit tuloy po ang trabaho nating lahat.

Kasama ko po ngayon ang aking mga kasama sa Gabinete – Secretary Erwin Tulfo, Secretary Benhur Abalos, Secretary Trixie Angeles, Secretary Ivan Uy, at ang inyong lingkod. Kasama rin po natin dito ang author ng Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009, si Special Envoy Nikki Prieto Teodoro na kasama ko noon sa Kongreso.

At ngayon ay kasama rin natin dito sa bulwagang ito ang Chief ng Philippine National Police, Chief Azurin at ang NBI Chief natin, National Bureau of Investigation Chief Medardo De Lemos; at marami pa ho kami ritong iba pang kasama … at kasama ang Homeland mula sa America.

Ang layunin po namin dito, kaya nagsama-sama rito ay upang iparamdam sa mamamayan natin ang pangangailangang sugpuin natin ang mga krimen na ginagawa sa ating kabataan sa pamamagitan ng internet at sa pamamagitan mismo ng face-to-face na pangyayari at ito po’y karumal-dumal na krimen na ginagawa sa ating kabataan. At ang pagsama po sa amin dito ng law enforcement agencies natin ay isa lang pong hudyat na talagang hindi ho talaga tayo papayag na manatili itong ganito sa ating bansa. Sapagkat kung hindi ninyo naitatanong, marahil napakasakit aminin ngunit tayo po ang nangunguna sa buong mundo dito sa larangang ito ng exploitation of children ‘no, sexual exploitation of children.

At dapat ho tumigil na ‘to at ang aming pagsasama rito ay isa hong pakiusap din sa inyong lahat na makiisa kayo sa ating gobyerno sa pagsugpo ng karumal-dumal na krimen na nasasakop sa mga gawaing ito laban sa ating kabataan. At iyon po, sana po ay makiisa kayo sa amin dito at marami ho ritong kailangang makiisa – ang internet service providers, ang telcos ay sana’y makiisa rin po sa ating lahat. Kasama rin ho rito ang mga malalaking kumpanya ng internet na dapat makiisa na huwag na hong panatiliin ang ganitong gawain at sila po’y… huwag ho silang papagamit sa mga ganitong karumal-dumal na gawain.

At hindi lang po iyan, at marami pa hong mga taong kinakailangang managot sa ganitong gawain. Marami ho sa mga pangyayaring ito ay kasabwat ang mga magulang ng mga bata na minsan sinasabing wala naman daw sakit na nangyayari sa bata… hindi po ganoon. Ang ideya mismo nito ay napakasama at hindi dapat ito pabayaang manatili sa ating lipunan.

Mamaya na lang po ako sasagot ng mga tanong ngunit ang presence po rito ng NBI at PNP na kasama po namin lahat dito ay isa pong talagang senyales na isang malaking pagtugon ito sa hamon ng online sexual exploitation of children at saka exploitation of children proper mismo. Kasama ko rito si… marahil puwede na ho natin anuhin na si Secretary Erwin Tulfo para siya naman po ang magsalita dito.

Maraming salamat po.

DSWD SEC. TULFO: Magandang hapon po sa inyong lahat. Marahil ay nagtataka ho kayo, mayroon ho tayong bisita… we have a visitor from the United States Embassy, the Homeland Security – katuwang po namin sila, they will be helping us monitoring. Kung lingid po sa kaalaman ho ninyo, ‘pag pumunta ka sa isang website about sa mga bata, iyong mga pedophiles sa overseas, makikita ninyo ho doon na karamihan ng mga bata bagama’t walang mga mukha, tinatakpan, bini-blur pero pinagsasayaw-sayaw hubo’t hubad iyong bata… ang mga kumukuha pa unfortunately, the videos are being taken by their own parents at ibinibenta.

Now these pedophiles overseas tuwang-tuwa naman ho, mabentang-mabenta iyong mga batang Pilipino sa mga foreigners. And that’s why we have this visitor from the United States who will be helping us also monitor and track. Kasi iyong iba hindi lang ho sa video natutuwa eh, pupunta pa ho dito – mga foreigner magpapanggap na turista kaya iyan ho, kasama ho natin, they can track … tina-track ho nila. Hindi lang po from the United States but Australia and European countries.

Tama ho ang sinabi ni Secretary Abalos, malala ho ang problema – number one po tayo. Number one sa child pornography ang Pilipinas, ito po iyong pinaka-source. The reason is because sa poverty siguro at ang reason din ng mga magulang sa mga social worker namin ay hindi naman ho nakikita iyong mukha noong bata eh … hindi naman ho sila nasasaktan, hindi naman ho sila nagagahasa. Pero iyong psychological effect po noon sa bata is different at tatatak po buong buhay niya. Paliguan nga lang iyong bata ng nanay sa labas ng bahay, iyong mga batang paslit – 6, 7 years old kahit naka-panty lang, hiyang-hiya po iyong bata eh. How much more na kukunan ng video?

In a measly what? Ang bayad po minsan P10,000… P5,000 tapos hindi naman ho napupunta sa bata iyon. Iyon ho ‘yung masakit ho doon kaya we have to join forces – DILG, the NBI, ang DICT – kasi nga po pornography ho ito, worldwide… sa pamamagitan po ng internet. Kaya nga we need all the help at panghuli na lamang po before I pass this mic to the DICT Secretary, makiusap lang ho ako sa mga magulang.

Mga sir, mga ma’am, hindi nga po nahahawakan ‘yung anak ninyo; hindi nga po kilala ng mga dayuhan na pinapanood iyong anak ninyo na hubo’t hubad, pero iyong impact po noon sa anak ho ninyo. Papaano na lang ho kung kayo mismo, noong bata kayo pinaghubo’t hubad ng magulang ninyo at pinagsayaw-sayaw diyan? Hindi ho ba masama din sa loob ninyo?

Iyang anak ho ninyo ay hindi po iyan kasangkapan para kumita. Yes po, mahirap ho kayo … gusto ninyo ho itawid ‘yung inyong buhay pero hindi po iyong bata – not the child to make money for you and your family. Itigil ho natin iyan kasi pangalawa ‘pag nahuli po kayo, kaso po ang aabutin ninyo – labag sa batas … kulong po iyan. Number two, iyong bata ho aalagaan na ho ng gobyerno at hindi na ho ninyo makikita iyan hanggang sa lumaki.

For example, kung iyang anak ninyo ay 5, 6, 7, 8 years old … nahuli po kayo, kustodiya po ng gobyerno namin ho iyan. Kami ho ang mangangalaga ho diyan, iyong CWC namin will take care of your children – pag-aaralin namin ‘yan, we will send them school, feed them, clothe them … kasi hindi naman ho ninyo kaya palang alagaan iyan, pinagkakakitaan lang ho ninyo ang anak ninyo.

So pakiusap ho namin bago pa mahuli ang lahat, bago ho kayo makulong … mahuli/makulong eh kukunin din ho namin ‘yung anak ho ninyo, mapapawalay po sa inyo. iyan lang ho, maraming salamat and good afternoon.

DICT SEC. UY: Magandang hapon po. Kami po sa DICT together with iyong attached agency namin na Cybercrime Investigation Coordinating Council are extensively cooperating ‘no with our law enforcement agencies to provide them with all the resources that they need in order to go after itong criminal activity na ito. As explained ng mga previous secretaries po natin eh talamak po ito at dahil napakadali pong gamitin ito, online … malaki iyong marketing at malaki iyong customer-based nila. At dahil dito eh talagang nagiging ano po tayo ‘no, center ng attention ng buong mundo at ito po’y nakakahiya at nakakaawa po sa ating mga kabataan eventually na naba-brand sila habang sila’y lumalaki, iyong trauma po sa kabataan.

So since online ito eh ang mga magulang ay gumagamit po ng internet upang mai-deliver itong mga videos at mga photos ng kanilang mga anak or kanilang mga kamag-anak – ang iba ho kasi ay mga tito/tita or kahit na mga kapitbahay na gumagawa po nito at mati-trace ho namin kayo ‘no.

So, warning po na ibinigay ngayon ng ating mga ahensiya ng law enforcement is criminal act po ito. At sabi ho ni Secretary Tulfo makukulong po kayo at matatanggal at mahihiwalay kayo sa inyong mga anak na inabuso ninyo at tinanggalan ninyo ng dignidad at ang gobyerno na po ang mag-aalaga sa kanila at magpapalaki sa kanila at hindi ninyo na po makikita ang inyong mga anak.

So, pasensiya na po kung mahuli namin kayo. Marami pong paraan at once ma-zero in namin kayo, nasaan ang operations ninyo ay kasama rin ko kayo sa blacklisting as a child pornographer, as a child abuser sa buong mundo. Kaya nandito po ang mga ahensiya ng gobyerno ng ibang mga bansa dahil international po ang crime na ito. Hindi ho ito local crime na kung ginawa ninyo ito ay dito lang kayo sa Pilipinas mamamarka – markado po kayo sa buong mundo. At oras na mangyari iyan, hindi ho kayo makakahanap ng trabaho, hindi kayo makaka-travel dahil every time na kukuha kayo ng passport ay huhulihin din ho kayo kahit nasaang parte ng mundo kayo pumunta. Iba ho ang level ng criminal act na ito. Hindi ho domestic ito, international.

So, kung akala ninyo po ay kikita kayo nang kaunti dahil sa itong pang-aabuso ninyo sa inyong sariling mga kamag-anak, sa inyong sariling mga anak at iyong kaunting kikitain ninyo po ay hindi ho siguro sapat upang mailigtas kayo sa kamay na bakal ng ating mga ahensiya ng gobyerno.

And as i said po, iri-risk ninyo po ba na maba-blacklist kayo sa buong mundo? Paano ho kung may intensyon kayo na mag-travel, may intensyon kayo na magtrabaho, mag-apply ng trabaho at markado na po kayo? So, ganiyan po kaseryoso nitong offense na ito.

Maraming salamat po.

ASEC. DE VERA: Next speaker, Philippine Special Envoy to UN, Miss Nikki Teodoro.

SPECIAL ENVOY TO UN TEODORO: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to congratulate this panel. It’s absolutely amazing because second time ko na mag-serve dito. So, this is the second President, the first President was PRRD and now PBBM. So, this is a very fantastic group because it’s united. And for the first time let me explain, my job is to report in the UN kung ano ang nangyayari sa bansa natin.

So, now I will be going there in September to announce that we’re number one for child trafficking, online pornography. My bill Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 that became a law is something that has been modified because it’s gotten so bad that we’re actually number one. Number one na po kami.

In 2011, there was an Australian named Peter Scully who was actually torturing an 18-month-old baby by burning the body parts. Sinusunog iyong body parts with candle wax and then nagla-live streaming siya. At that time, 11 years ago it was $10,000 per live streaming. So, iyong mga kliyente niya ay big-time foreigners and this went on until 2017. So, he was arrested in 2014, he was put in CDO but he was still doing his kalokohan in the jails. So, we had to monitor that and I monitored that with a group of Cabinet members of PRRD and he was finally arrested and charged, life imprisonment. He is the first to be charged life imprisonment because ang hiningi namin ay dito siya ma-charge sa Pilipinas because he’s hurting our children, our future. He has damaged our future. Those are the Filipino children that are being exploited and as of 2022 it’s up by over 280%. Why? Because it’s easy to do. The children were locked-up. Nakakulong ang mga bata kasama ng mga magulang, lola, lolo, tita, tito. So, may chance sila. Now it’s even cheaper, you can do it for P1,000.

So, you can imagine how many sites are on right now that it’s so easy to get on one site and then catch another site. Kung makuha man iyong first site, may second site, may third site, may 100 sites after that.

So, our job is so difficult. We need all of you to participate because they use all the IT, the cell phones, the laptops, they use everything that cannot be traced because they use SIM cards. So, we must also monitor and register the SIM cards and our biometrics because we have a problem kasi ngayon na iyong mga foreigners they don’t need visas to come to our country. So, it’s very easy – pasok, labas, pasok, labas – and they never get caught. They get Filipino counterparts to help them get the children, lure them with ice cream and they come in because some of them are really street children that are not being monitored. Hindi sila namu-monitor ng mga kamag-anak, nasa kalye lang sila. So, bibigyan sila ng candy, bibigyan sila ng pagkain, papasok naman sila sa bahay. At that point, they are literally already jailed. And they are made to do sex things para mabenta lang online. And now it’s getting so much cheaper that we are number one.

Now, isipin lang ninyo, kayo media kayo, do you want me to tell that to the UN that we’re number one for online pornography? Because I have to report, I will be reporting this in September to the UN. So, I’m very embarrassed.

So, I’m very proud of this team right now because this team is in sync, but we need the media. We need within the social networking of everyone to stop this because it’s so lucrative. It’s a billion-dollar industry. Bilyun-bilyon ang makukuha nila. But once you get caught and charged, you are charged internationally and that’s my job to go to the UN and tell them our problems so they can help us, suggest to us how to help us.

In fact, right now, UK National Crime Agency (NCA) and International Justice Mission (IJM), the Philippine law enforcement agencies are receiving trainings to advance investigating workshops organized and coordinated by IJM – that’s UK based, and cooperative increasingly with financial services provided to investigate OCSEA cases. So, we are getting international help. But the problem is it’s not fast enough.  It has to be faster; it has to be faster by our help not by foreign help. We have to help ourselves because we are damaging the future of our beloved Philippines.

So, pakiusap lang sa inyo, kung ayaw ninyong masira ang bansa ninyo, you report the parents, you report anyone that is hurting our children or you’re messing with the future – our future.

Kami on the Board, we’re the generation protecting the next generation. So, it’s our job, it’s all our jobs to make sure we take care of the future of this country.

Thank you and good afternoon po.

ASEC. DE VERA: Next speaker, US Homeland Security Attaché Ricardo Navalta.

US EMBASSY-MANILA ATTACHE NAVALTA: Good afternoon. I would like to thank President Marcos. I would like to also thank the Cabinet members, Secretaries here, all the panelists on here. I’ve been here in the Philippines for four years now and this is a remarkable time, this is a remarkable group of panelists to bring together this kind of working group to combat child exploitation.

It was very challenging hearing what she had to say because as a blood of a Filipino and an American-born citizen I have a lot of hope for both the United States and the Philippines.

We at the US Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, we are fully behind the Philippines in combatting child exploitation. We are here to develop best practices, help develop programs to not only stop foreigners or from the US or from other countries from coming into the country to have access to Filipino children, but also educating the population as well.

There are lot of programs that the United States has that we will provide information on, and hopefully be able to educate the community, teachers, parents, everyone that we can. The United States has been in a memorandum of cooperation with the Philippine National Police since 2018. That cooperation is based on a Transnational Criminal Investigative Unit that we work together, side by side, to combat transnational crime, transnational sexual misconduct, and child exploitation.

We currently in the process of adding the National Bureau of Investigation, as well as many of the other agencies – Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Immigration, the DSWD – into this program, and hopes that we can work together to reduce the number of cases that come from the US and foreign countries.

We also work alongside with our counterparts from all the different countries such as the UK, Australia – the Aussies – all of them. We also do a lot of training with them in order to help facilitate and better prosecute this kind of offender as well.

So, I’m very excited and I’m very proud to be included into this working group. And I look forward to, hopefully, a better choice of conversation at the UN for the improvements that will make with this panel.

So, thank you very much.

ASEC. DE VERA: NBI Chief Director Medardo De Lemos.

NBI CHIEF DE LEMOS: Magandang hapon po sa ating lahat. Ang NBI po ang investigative arm ng Department of Justice. At sa pamumuno ng aming bagong Secretary, sinabi po niya na ang priority cases, isa sa mga priority cases na dapat pagtuunan ng pansin ng NBI ay ang OSEC (Online Sexual Exploitation of Children).

Nais naming iparating sa ating mga kababayan na since 2019, ang NBI po ay naka-secure ng 29 conviction sa OSEC cases. Dahil ito nga ay online, mayroon din tayong iniimbestigahan na child pornography. At since 2019, nagkaroon po tayo ng 46 active investigation sa child pornography.

Ang mga initiatives po ng NBI ay nagtatag, nag-establish kami ng aming AHTRAD, iyong Anti-Human Trafficking Division sa ating headquarters dito sa Manila. At nagka-cluster din tayo ng ating mga human trafficking investigation groups in the three islands – Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Nagkaroon din tayo ng mga designated contact persons pagdating sa online sexual human trafficking.

Para malaman din ng karamihan, mayroon din tayong monitoring, online monitoring ng mga OSEC cases. At noon ngang July, naging resulta ng ating monitoring na ito, nagkaroon tayo ng isang successful operations sa Cebu, kung [saan] ilang mga kabataang lalake naman ang naging biktima ng OSEC cases na ito.

Kami ay nakikipagtulungan sa lahat ng ahensiya sa ating bansa, sa ating mga counterparts dito sa ating bansa, at mga counterparts din natin sa ibang bansa na siyang nagbibigay din sa atin ng mga impormasyon tungkol dito sa mga OSEC cases.

Nakikipagtulungan din tayo sa ating mga payment centers kung saan pinapadala itong pera na bayad sa ating mga biktima. Kasi ang Pilipinas po ay ito ang biktima, hindi po tayo ang predators. Ang mga predators po ay nasa ibang bansa. At tinutulungan din tayo ng ating mga counterparts, totoo po iyon, sa UK, sa Netherlands, sa US at saka sa Australia.

Kaya katulad ng kahilingan natin dito, ng buong team na ito, kung mayroon din po kayong mga impormasyon na makakatulong para mapabilis ang imbestigasyon, mayroon po kaming hotline din sa NBI na maaaring tawagan.

Maraming salamat po.

ASEC. DE VERA: Next, Chief PNP General Rodolfo Azurin, Jr.

PNP CHIEF GEN. AZURIN: Magandang hapon po sa ating lahat. So, in behalf po ng … sa pamumuno po ng aming DILG Secretary, si Sec. Benhur Abalos, ang inyo pong kapulisan sa buong Pilipinas ay handa po na tumulong po sa atin pong adhikain na matigil na po ang mga child exploitation po lalung-lalo na po iyong mga batang-bata po na nabibiktima po nitong online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

Sa datos po ng inyong kapulisan, since 2019, we are able to receive 378 referrals po, and then we were able to conduct about 250 police operations; arrests were made. And we were able to file 225 cases against the perpetrators.

So, our comparative data po, from January to August 2021 last year, mayroon po tayong 43 operations na kinondak [conducted]. And for this year po, from January to August 2022, mayroon po tayong 29 operations that were conducted by your PNP.

We were able to file a case last year, from January to August 2021, twenty-five cases po. And for this year, out of the operations we conducted, we were able to file 20 cases for the complaints we received from January to August 2022.

For the cases solved po na nagawa namin from January to August 2021, we were able to solve 11 cases po. And this year, from January to August 2022, apat na po iyong naso-solve namin. And for the number of cases cleared last year, 25; and for this year, 20 po.

On the conviction po, since 2016, since we started po iyong atin pong operation against child abuse and trafficking, we were able to convict 71 po na mga suspects, and iyong iba po ay ongoing pa po ang trial.

So other than that, ang inyo pong kapulisan ay handa po to bring awareness to everyone in the community about the ill-effects po nitong child abuse and exploitation. And then, we will also organize all sectors in the community to help by mobilizing everyone po.

So ito pong gathering na ito is napakaganda pong umpisa na kung saan lahat po tayo ay hinihikayat na magtulung-tulong po para po sa future nga ng ating kabataan.

Maraming, maraming salamat po.

ASEC. DE VERA: Lastly, IACAT Head, Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty.

IACAT HEAD USEC. TY: Thank you. Good afternoon to everyone.

As we all know, the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking was created by the original Anti-Traffic in Persons Act or RA 9208 to coordinate the different agencies in the fight against human trafficking. Online sexual abuse and exploitation of children is a sub-specie of human trafficking.

The Chairperson of the IACAT is Secretary Remulla, the Co-Chairperson is Secretary Tulfo. They have expressed most of the things that IACAT wants to express. But we’d just want to take this opportunity to once again thank the national government for this opportunity wherein this problem of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children can be given more light and solutions to this problem can be considered.

At the same time, we’d like to express our appreciation to the administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, as well as the administration of PBBM, for the passage of two key pieces of legislation in this fight against online sexual abuse and exploitation of children and trafficking in persons. These are Republic Act 11862 which further amended the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, as well as RA 11930 or the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children Act. So, with these new pieces of legislation, we believe that IACAT is in a better position to fight OSAEC as well as other forms of trafficking.

Thank you.

ASEC. DE VERA: We are now opening the floor for questions related to online sexual exploitation of children. Maricel Halili, TV-5?

MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Hi, magandang hapon po. Secretary Abalos, you have presented earlier figures of cases of child pornography and we can see an upward trend since 2016 up to 2022. Number one, where can we attribute the continuous increase of cases in the Philippines?

DILG SEC. ABALOS: Figures came from pandemic ‘no. Remember this kind of a crime, sabi nga nila, is that you could just do it in a bedroom, to do it in a room with a camera with no witnesses, just a child who’s very innocent – so easy to do it. Alam naman natin during pandemic, talagang medyo maraming naghirap, maraming walang trabaho ‘no, we cannot tell kung ano talaga ang reason nila pero it could be one of the factors kung bakit tumaas ito.

But what is important right now is that we’re going to put a stop to all of these, we are going to show them that government is really serious about stopping them. Talagang nagkakaisa ang lahat, may kaniya-kaniyang specialty eh. Kami sa DILG we’re with the LGUs – LGUs means – DILG is the interior. Interior is the police, the BFP, the Fire ‘no and the Jail, and the Commission on Women, on Youth and Muslims; and G is for ‘Governance’ over governors pababa. So imagine all LGUs gagalaw dito.

Of course, you have got the DSWD, the Social Welfare. And not only that – Ivan, itong expert namin sa technology dahil kailangan namin talagang mahuli ang lahat ng ito through this technology. And of course, nandito ang prosecution arm namin, ang DOJ. Ito talaga magku-collate lahat ng kaso. Not mentioning the fact that we have our friends from the United Nations, si Ambassador Nikki; and of course, Mr. Navalta of the Homeland ‘no… importante iyon dahil sa abroad. Hindi ko na babanggitin pangalan niya, I’ve talked to the mayor sa isang probinsya, ang laking tulong na nakatulong sa kaniya ang Homeland, nahuli nila ‘no.

Pero ito ang sinasabi niya sa akin, “Alam mo, Benhur, ang masaklap noong nahuli namin… pinuntahan ako noong magulang eh. Sabi sa akin, sino na magbibigay buwan-buwan ng pera sa amin?” I think they’re getting 20,000 or 30,000 a month. “Sino na ang magbibigay?” Galit pa iyong magulang doon sa mayor at nahuli iyong tao. Eh, imagine that? Kaya tama ang sinasabi ni Secretary Erwin na baka iniisip ng tao dahil it’s just a camera, wala namang nangyayari, kinukunan, etc., pero hindi. Mali. Bata ito eh ‘no, iyong panghihiya sa bata hanggang kalakihan niya iyan. These are things na talagang hindi mo ramdam pero paglaki niya iyong kahihiyan sa batang ito.

So sana mamulat po tayo lahat dito ‘no. So iyon lang po, what is important here is that nagkakaisa kami dito – ang galing ng NBI ‘no, ang PNP nandiyan. So the whole department na may kinalaman talaga – full force po kami rito. Thank you.

MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Thank you, Sec. Usec., you have mentioned earlier na kailangan i-amend iyong ating law on child pornography. What particular provisions must be amended?

DOJ USEC. TY: Amended na siya. Iyong Anti-OSAEC Law effectively amended the Anti-Child Pornography Law.

MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Ano po iyong binago doon?

DOJ USEC. TY: Ah, madaming binago ‘no. Tingin ko ay ang pinakaimportanteng amendment doon ay iyong pag-identify noong OSAEC as its own crime, giving it its own definition, broadening the scope of OSAEC to cover those developments in child pornography that came about because of changes in technology.

MARICEL HALILI/TV5: Thank you, sir.

KAT DOMINGO/ABS-CBN: Good afternoon, sirs and ma’ams. For the Cabinet Secretaries, do we have data if there are particular hotspots in the Philippines that produce this illegal content? And do we also have data on which nationalities are the biggest consumers of these types of content?

DOJ SEC. REMULLA: Actually, we tried to trace this before. Kung iilaw iyong buong mapa ng Pilipinas ‘no, kung may ilaw sa bawat lugar, buong Pilipinas mayroon eh. So across all regions nangyayari ito, it’s happening everywhere.

Ano ‘yung isa pa?

KAT DOMINGO/ABS-CBN: Sir, iyong nationalities na top consumers?

DOJ SEC. REMULLA: Ah, nationalities… huwag na nating pag-usapan ngayon iyong nationalities. Better that way ‘no, kasi baka mamaya sabihin na nag-aano tayo, we’re singling out some nationalities.

KAT DOMINGO/ABS-CBN: Secretary, kahit region na lang po, is it European, American, Australian, Asian?

DOJ SEC. REMULLA: A lot of European, European participation.

KAT DOMINGO/ABS-CBN: Second question po, for Rep. Teodoro. Ma’am, what seems to be the problem? What do you think is the biggest reason why the problem exacerbated despite the fact that a law was already passed more than a decade ago?

SPECIAL ENVOY TO UN TEODORO: Several things. One, is because it’s easy to come to the country, no don’t need a visa; two, lockdown played the big part of parents actually, may I say marketing their children online for profit. Then the fact that it’s easy to put up a site – you put one, you can have ten at the same time. So its technology that’s made it easier for these perpetrators to market their children or our children and it’s gotten easier and it’s gotten more lucrative. So the lockdown played the big part and now we have to play a bigger part in protecting our children by reporting it immediately. As you see in this panel, we’re covering all bases – we’re complete in this panel so we’re covering all bases.

KAT DOMINGO/ABS-CBN: Last question from my end for Secretary Uy. What is the DICT doing to address the problem? Will it only be a matter of blocking certain IP addresses/certain websites or is the problem so perverse that you have to monitor, let’s say Facebook marketplaces or even chat groups and apps?

DICT SEC. UY: Actually, we’re doing everything. We’re covering all aspects – whether it’s social media, whether… yes. And also, how they’re marketing it on websites and at the same time tracing/following the money trail because these all go to a central payment group that actually collects this money. But most of these are located abroad, so we’re working with AMLA, we’re working with our international partners to locate really where the payments are being made. And then once we track them, then we work with these international agencies on how to stop the money flow.

So long as there is demand, the supply always comes up ‘no. It’s a similar issue with drugs, hangga’t may demand. So we tackle it on all sides, we work with our international partners to cut off the demand. But at the same time, we, here on the supply side, have to make sure that we do not provide easy access to that supply.

Because DICT is tasked to provide connectivity to all areas, we are detecting that the more connectivity we provide, the more opportunities arise ‘no. And the opportunities can be for good or for bad. Because of connectivity, they are able to engage in better e-commerce, they’re able to do better communications but the criminals also exploit that connectivity, that access to the people. So we also have to push for better online education as the content once we deploy more connectivity – not only making them aware/protecting themselves against cybercrime but also educating them on the detrimental effect of child exploitation using this medium.

CELERINA MONTE/NHK: Good afternoon. I just want to clarify. Some of the resource speakers mentioned that the Philippines is number one in this problem – online exploitation, sex abuse. May we know which study are you referring to and kailan iyong study na iyon, iyong basis ho noon?

DOJ SEC. REMULLA: Ano iyon, that’s data culled from different international agencies. Actually, ano ito alam na ng buong mundo ito halos. The law enforcement agencies around the world know this, that tayo talaga ang favorite place ng mga ganito, these perverts who like exploiting the children.

Ano iyan, it’s not a source of pride; it’s a source of shame that’s why we want to end this. Dapat tumigil na ito. Payment systems, anti-money laundering would be there against you, telcos we expect you to put the filters so that many of these transactions do not happen and if there are people who do not cooperate but have a direct or indirect participation, we will not hesitate to charge anybody who helps perpetuate a crime of this nature. We will not hesitate to prosecute anybody who cooperates directly or indirectly in this nature.

Tandaan natin ‘no, what will deter people para umiwas ang tao sa ganitong gawain iyon ay isang bagay lang certainty of punishment na sila ay mahuhuli at sila ay parurusahan. We will make sure of that, that’s why we’re here together. This statement we’re making and for those who will insist on doing their old ways of exploiting our children in this heinous manner, well we’re here to punish you. We will not allow this to go on further.

CELERINA MONTE/NHK: Sir, since when po number one ang Philippines and during the previous administration the Duterte administration was really focused on war on drugs, so this time are you saying that the Marcos administration will be declaring a war on this online sexual abuse and exploitation of children?

DOJ SEC. REMULLA: Yes, we are declaring a war on this. Kaya magkakasama kami rito ngayon sa kuwartong ito. Lahat na ng puwedeng gawin ng bansa para rito, 100% of law enforcement is here, as well as 100% of jails and correction facilities are here. The BJMP and the BuCor under us are here to make sure that we have reserved the place for those who insist on doing what they do. So, law enforcement and jail is here with us as well as the people, the DICT, the NBI, the PNP, the Cybercrime Units are here. We’ll be there for anybody who still will insist on perpetuating this crime.

CELERINA MONTE/NHK: Last question on my part.

ASEC. DE VERA: Si Sec. Tulfo will answer your question also.

DSWD SEC. TULFO: As added to that, ma’am. This problem has been ongoing. Unfortunately, the focus was on the pandemic for the past two years, iyong mga lockdowns and all. In the news, I was in the media too, naka-focus tayo sa pandemic; we focused on war on drugs; we focused on graft and corruption. We left out us in the media itong child pornography, sex exploitation but it has been going on, iyong mga investigative programs sa TV they’ve been dealing this. As a matter fact, ABS-CBN before was already dealing this, then years ago before they were shutdown. TV-5 was dealing with this because I was part of it, that program.

So, matagal na itong problema, hindi lang naa-address because we are so busy with other problems – iyon nga pandemic, then war on drugs, mayroon pa tayong terrorism sa Mindanao, and then we have graft and corruption. Ito iyong mga issues na natatabunan siya pero it is, it has been there and it’s a big problem pero hindi nabibigyan ng pansin kaya right now this administration is keen and very serious in stopping this.

So, tama si Secretary Remulla, tama si Secretary Abalos and everybody here in this room. We are declaring war against this, and this is the time now and here.

CELERINA MONTE/NHK: Last question. Do you have any like estimate, or can you quantify like how big is this “industry” in the Philippines?

DOJ SEC. REMULLA: Well, for it to be number one malaki ito in the world. Just imagine gaano tayo kaliit na bansa ‘di ba. Just imagine the problem here right now at ito iyong mga batang walang kalaban-laban kaya iyon iyong nakakagalit dito. So, ‘di bale basta this is now a statement, on this day we’re going to make a statement.

Quantify? Well, it’s hard to give numbers, it’s hard to give numbers right now but the mere fact we’re number one that speaks for itself.

ASEC. DE VERA: Next question. Vince Lopez, Manila Standard.

VINCE LOPEZ/MANILA STANDARD: For DOJ Secretary, Secretary Remulla. Good afternoon po. Knowing the severity po of the child sexual exploitation here in the Philippines, will the Justice Department consider the sexual exploitation for children be a part of the heinous crimes?

DOJ SEC. REMULLA: It is a heinous crime. It is a heinous crime. We have a cyber unit in the DOJ to take care of this. We have at least two task forces that are organized for this purpose. And we’ve actually…early in July we met about this already, I met with the NBI already about this matter early in July so, we’ve been quietly organizing. So, this announcement is just there because I had a discussion with Secretary Abalos and Secretary Tulfo and Secretary Ivan and we said that it’s better that we have a common front and we have a one concerted effort together. Talagang dapat talaga ay wakasan na ito. We have to stop this. We have to stop this.

VINCE LOPEZ/MANILA STANDARD: For DICT Sec. Sec. Good afternoon din po. Makikipag-coordinate po ba ang DICT sa National Intelligence Coordinating Agency to locate these mga locations na may child exploitations na nangyayari?

DICT SEC. UY: Actually, we’re coordinating with all the agencies po as well as the telcos because the telcos diyan po ang gateway na pumapasok doon. So, all. But the DICT itself has its capabilities to do this. So, NICA would probably be dealing more with the national security, national security issues instead of criminal investigation. But we share data because some of them there are resources that are available on the different agencies that can be utilized in order to track down these offenders.

Thank you.

JINKY BATICADOS/IBC13: Good afternoon po, ladies and gentlemen. Ang tanong ko ay maaaring sagutin ng kahit na sino pong Secretary. Sinabi natin na that we are on war on this one po. So, alam din natin sabi ni Secretary Erwin kanina that this has been a long problem na sinu-solve po natin. Mayroon po ba tayong bagong strategy or approach na maaari nating gawin to actually help solve this crime maliban doon sa ginagawa na natin noon pa man?

DOJ SEC. REMULLA: I think the new thing about this is the comprehensive approach to it. AMLA is there; the DICT is here, we are asking the telcos to put the filters into the systems. We’re not leaving any stone unturned. This comprehensive approach is, the new thing about it, this comprehensive approach is the one that will get things done.

JINKY BATICADOS/IBC13: Sir, mayroon po bang marching order sa inyo si Presidente para ma-curb ito? Binigyan ba tayo ng somehow mandate or hanggang kailan na pupuwedeng…

DOJ SEC. REMULLA: Understood na ito. This is prior to our going into office on June 30. This was discussed before already.

JINKY BATICADOS/IBC13: Thank you, Secretary. One na lang, Dale. From the Homeland Security Manila Attaché, sir, I just would like to ask if somehow aside from the monitoring and your tracking in helping this country to solve this kind of problem, do you have any particular help to extend to the Philippines for this particular solving a crime?

US EMBASSY-MANILA ATTACHÉ NAVALTA: Absolutely. I think that, you know, this is a global problem and I think that all countries that can come in and participate in this, is going to be a very big opportunity for us to really make an impact. We obviously, in 2018/2019, prior to the pandemic, US Homeland Security has a program called iGuardian, and if you go back and you look, you’ll find that in General Santos City, we put on an outreach program to over 2,000 students, parents, teachers, educating them on the dangers of the internet.

There are a lot of different things that also will assist us in this and such thing as, the US has the PROTECT Act of 2003. The PROTECT Act of 2003 basically says that a US citizen that engages in child exploitation anywhere in the world can be held accountable in the United States. That law itself allows us to work alongside our partners here in the Philippines to not only catch the offenders here who are creating the content, but also go back to our country and put handcuffs on them there, and arrest them and prosecute them there for the crimes that they committed here.

So I think that we will have, you know, a lot of programs that will create some of the best practices that we can have in order to combat this here; not only in the Philippines but globally. You know, that’s the impact that this will have and this working group will give to the world in focusing in that area.

Q: Thank you, sir.

ASEC. DE VERA: Last question for the panel, from Nel Maribojoc of UNTV.

NEL MARIBOJOC/UNTV: Good afternoon po. Anyone po, kung sino po doon sa Cabinet secretaries. Will you support any proposal regarding the social media registration to effectively track down personalities engaged or participating in online exploitation? Social media registration, will you push or support any proposal on that?

SEC. CRUZ-ANGELES: There was a law that was passed that required some kind of registration before that was vetoed by President Rodrigo Duterte. So there is no law. In order require online registration, there has to be a law because otherwise, the Constitution guarantees free speech.

So right now, there is no requirement of any online registration. This is without prejudice to any rules pertaining to the various agencies like the DILG and the DOJ pursuant to whatever directive they will be given law enforcement.

NEL MARIBOJOC/UNTV: Thank you.

ASEC. DE VERA: Before we continue with the briefing of Press Secretary Trixie Angeles, may we ask Secretary of Justice Boying Remulla for his closing statement?

DOJ SEC. REMULLA: Nais po naming magpasalamat sa inyong lahat sa pagkakataong ito. At sana ay magtulungan po tayo na wakasan iyong madilim na yugto ng ating kasaysayan na bilang mga Pilipino, magtulungan po tayo na wakasan po ito. Maraming salamat po sa inyong lahat.

ASEC. DE VERA: We are now opening a few questions for Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles. Eden Santos, Net25.

EDEN SANTOS/NET25: Maulang hapon po sa inyong lahat. Regarding lang po doon sa kung ano bang ginagawang paghahanda ngayon ng DSWD dito po sa Bagyong Florita especially po doon sa relief operations and evacuations? Puwede rin po si Secretary Benhur Abalos [ang sumagot]. Thank you po.

DSWD SEC. TULFO: Naka-preposition na po kasi iyong mga food packs po natin sa mga regional offices, Region I and Region II, and then, ibinaba na rin po sa mga satellite offices namin diyan po sa Vigan. Iyong ilan pong LGUs natin from Ilocos Norte, sinundo na po iyong mga food packs nila kasi may transportation po sila, hindi naman po namin kayang dalhin sa bawat bayan nila. So napadalhan na po.

Pero kanina, na-serve na po namin iyong mga residente po, iyong ilang mga evacuees, pero nakauwi na po eh. As reported to me around 12 noon, nakauwi na ho iyong karamihan, pati iyong dalawang families po ay nakauwi na rin dito sa Ilocos Norte. Pero gayunpaman, nahatiran na po sila ng pagkain.

We are closely monitoring po itong Region II, itong Isabela na currently binabayo po ng Signal # 3 na bagyo. So doon po, nakabantay ho tayo.

We have alerted all our regional offices sa CAR; Region I, Region II, and Region III are on standby now; just in case kailangan po ng tulong, aakyat po. Ganoon ho ang ginawa natin ngayon, may clustering po tayo ng mga regions. So lahat po ng regions sa Luzon, magtutulung-tulong po; iyong pinakamalapit, mag-aayuda. Like what we did in Abra, nang nilindol po ang Abra, Field Office I, Region I and Region II, nagdala po ng ayuda.

Pero so far right now, iyong buong region, ito pong Luzon cluster, are on standby, naka-ready, lalung-lalo na po iyong National Resource Operations Center namin. Iyong pinaka-warehouse po namin sa Pasay, naka-ready na rin po.

Pero don’t worry ho, we have sufficient; we have over a hundred thousand food boxes po na naka-standby lang po sa amin sa Regions I and II. In Region I po, diyan sa may Ilocos Region, mayroon po kaming 20 to 25 million po na AICS (Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation), naka-ready rin po.

So nakabantay ho kami, evacuations ganoon din. Mga evacuation sites, naka-ready na rin with the help of the local government units. Kasi ang mangyayari po dito, ma’am, usually, ang napag-usapan na ho dito ay ang pinaka-first responders po ay LGU. They will be the first one to feed iyong kanila pong constituents. But we can come in anytime kung if they ask for assistance, sasabihin nila medyo kapag fourth class municipality or 5^th class, hindi po nila kaya, then papasok po kami. Kaya ho naka-standby po lagi ang instruction ko sa mga regional directors para puwede po kaming mag-augment, kung hindi man po mag-augment, kami mismo ang pupunta na doon sa area para tulungan po sila, mapakain po iyong mga kababayan natin, ma’am.

EDEN SANTOS/NET25: Sir, kasi we heard, bago pa man po ito ‘di ba, ito na iyong binabanggit ng Pangulong BBM na pinangangambahan niya na iyong nilindol na mga lugar especially sa Abra is kabilang po doon sa mga lugar ngayon na dadaanan ng bagyo – if I’m not mistaken. So iyon pong flashflood and landslide ay nagbabadya po iyan. Mayroon po bang ginagawang hakbang ang DILG sa pamamagitan po ng mga LGUs, mga officials, mga local executives para naman po maiwasan na magkaroon pa ng mga mas malalang insidente po ng flashflood and landslide?

DILG SEC. ABALOS: Well, actually na-foresee na po ito noon ano, kamukha ng sinabi mo, sinabi ng Presidente. Kanina po ay galing kami sa Cabinet meeting, ito nga ang binilin niya. So in short, talagang naka-monitor, naka-identify na po ang mga evacuation centers dito. And just like the Secretary of DSWD, we are in constant touch with our local government unit partners ‘no, na nasa baba po.

Lahat naman po ito ay may in place na po itong mga gagawin po rito. Of course, nandiyan na iyong pagkain, nandiyan na iyong tubig, lahat po iyan ay nakahanda na rin. Imo-monitor po namin hanggang mamaya.

Ia-add ko lang pala iyong kanina lang ‘no. Ngayon ko lang pinakuha iyong topic, just so makasigurado lang ako. Iyong topic natin kanina, kasi it’s about child pornography ‘no or child trafficking. But on the lighter side naman, iyong basta pag-usapan iyong trafficking as a whole, hindi child trafficking, the Philippines is number one, in Tier 1. Ibig sabihin ng Tier 1, isa sa pinakamaganda ito. For seven consecutive years, the country maintains the top classification on Tier 1 ranking in the annual report of the State Department of the United States. Okay.

According to the State Department, countries and territories under the Tier 1 have governments that fully met the minimum standards of the US Trafficking Victims Protection of 2000 in eliminating human trafficking.

Bakit ko sinasabi ito? Kung naka-focus sa isang bagay, kayang-kaya eh. So iyong sinasabi nga kanina ni Boying, ito, it’s just that ma-focus lang natin ito, siguradong matatanggal natin itong sa child pornography and, of course, itong child trafficking na ito. Okay?

ASEC. DE VERA: Last question, Ivan Mayrina, GMA.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA7: Secretary Angeles, ma’am, may we know what came out of the meeting of the President with the newly installed officials of the SRA?

SEC. CRUZ-ANGELES: We will be making an announcement later on. He did discuss the ongoing crisis, but that’s the extent that we can reveal the details. Remember that these officials just swore in. So immediately after that, he convened the group to apprise them of the situation, get recommendations and plan a course of action.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA7: Ma’am, may we get the Palace statement on the privilege speech of Congressman Libanan, the Minority Leader? Ang sabi po niya, “Dapat,” in his words, “to curtail the cartel, we need a full-time Chief Executive and a full-time Agriculture Secretary.” Ano po ang masasabi ng Palasyo dito?

SEC. CRUZ-ANGELES: We have no reaction to that. There are also other questions pertaining to supposedly the testimonies that are being given during the course of the legislative investigation, we will not comment on those as well because it is in the hands of the committee or the legislature which is conducting the investigation. We wait for it to complete the investigation.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA7: As to the raids in warehouses, inaasahan po ba nating magpapatuloy ang mga ito?

SEC. CRUZ-ANGELES: Yes, patuloy po.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA7: Thank you very much.

SEC. CRUZ-ANGELES: By the way, per the exercise of visitorial powers.

IVAN MAYRINA/GMA7: Exercise of visitorial powers – that is noted. Thank you, Secretary.

ASEC. DE VERA: Maraming salamat, Press Secretary Trixie Cruz-Angeles, DILG Secretary Benhur Abalos and DSWD Secretary Erwin Tulfo.

SEC. CRUZ-ANGELES: Maraming salamat po. Uy, ingat kayo ha, malakas ang ulan.

 

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SOURCE: OPS-NIB (News and Information Bureau – Transcription Section)