New law criminalises child pornography

Arroyo signed the new law ahead of the 20th anniversary celebrations of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child.

The measure regards a child who is victimised "as a prey to violent crime" and may claim compensation and protection.

It likewise criminalises the hiring, employing, using, persuading, inducing or coercing a child to participate in the production or any form of child pornography; and any form of involvement in creating any form of child pornography.

Aside from providing mandatory social services for the victim, the new law also compels the state to provide counseling and legal assistance to the victims.

The new law, Republic Act 9775, defines pornography as any representation, be it visual, audio or written form or combination thereof, by electronic, mechanical, digital, optical, magnetic or other means, of a child engaged in real or simulated explicit sexual activities.

Possible offenders of this new law may include internet service providers and internet content hosts.

Republic Act 9775 state that offenders can be fined from 50,000 pesos (Dh3,901.13) to five million pesos (Dh390,112.54) as well as prison terms to up to life imprisonment.

Cyber sex dens

The new law is very timely as the Philippines is increasingly becoming a haven for foreign and local pornography syndicates operating so-called cyber sex dens. Syndicates are known to operate in far-flung areas where they can easily recruit children performers. It can be recalled that several cyber sex den operators had been apprehended in the past in cities like Angeles in Pampanga, north of Manila.

Rep. Monica Teodoro, principal author of the law's House version, said the passage of the law will be instrumental in turning the country into a safe haven for children.

"Now that we already have a stringent law against child pornography, we can efficiently prosecute perpetrators who produce, use and distribute child pornography," she said.