A 14-year-old, grade 9 student was rescued from the clutches of a 35-year-old man by operatives of the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group Thursday while the two were inside a motel.
Suspect Estelito Piolio Gibaga Jr. was arrested inside the inn located West Point Street in Quezon City while allegedly in the process of molesting the girl he befriended through online gaming.
Gibaga claimed they had a consensual relationship that started on their actively talking through personal messages before progressing to sending lewd pictures of each other.
The girl’s mother discovered the exchange of conversations and she contacted the police which then put in place an entrapment operation against the suspect.
The two agreed to meet in a mall in Cubao, Quezon City after which they took out snacks before heading to the motel. After the two entered the room, the police immediately barged in.
Gibaga is facing charges of violating Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act); RA 9775, or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009; and Article 286 (Grave Coercion) of the Revised Penal Code, all in relation to Sec 6 of RA 10175, otherwise known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
In a statement, Brig. Gen. Joel Doria warned parents to guard their children against cybercrime predators. “Sexual predators are everywhere, even on online games,” he said.