Senator Loren Legarda called for stronger legislation to combat online sexual exploitation and trafficking of children, citing the evolving threats posed by technology and cross-border criminal networks.
Speaking on the Senate floor on Tuesday, February 10, Legarda discussed proposed amendments to Republic Act 11930, the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children (OSAIC) Act, as well as existing anti-trafficking laws. She emphasized that advances in technology have enabled abusers to operate through encrypted platforms, digital payment systems, and international hosting services, making the harm of online abuse more pervasive and enduring.
“The proposed amendments strengthen coordination among agencies, ensure platforms take responsibility, and equip authorities to secure and use digital evidence to identify victims and build cases, even beyond our borders,” Legarda said. She added that the measure also provides dedicated child safeguarding support to create a reliable protection system.
Legarda cited her long-standing advocacy against human trafficking, recalling documentaries she produced in the 1990s highlighting the exploitation of Filipina women abroad. “Even decades ago, trafficking was already a global scourge, and perpetrators adapt with technology, hiding behind new fronts and exploiting gaps in our laws,” she said.
The senator also highlighted a startling revelation: convicted American pedophile Jeffrey Epstein allegedly operated in the Philippines around 2010. She urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to investigate Epstein’s network in the country, including businesses and organizations that may have helped clean his image. “Even the wealthiest and most influential individuals may have been involved, using various fronts for their operations,” she noted.
Based on the documents released by the U.S. DOJ, Epstein allegedly hired a Philippine-based team to clear his image and digital footprint. This was confirmed through email exchanges between Epstein and Al Seckel, the husband of Ghislaine Maxwell’s sister.
Legarda thanked Senators Risa Hontiveros and Pia Cayetano for supporting the amendments and called for urgent action to ensure that the Philippines does not become a safe haven for abusers exploiting children digitally or financially.
The amendments to the OSAIC Act and related trafficking laws aim to update the country’s legal framework to meet modern technological challenges and enhance accountability, signaling a renewed commitment by the Philippine Senate to combat child exploitation and human trafficking.
