The Philippine National Police Anti-Cyber Crime Group has reactivated a special police operation project designed to protect students from sextortion and other Internet-related crimes, particularly on Facebook and other social media platform, following the opening of classes across the country.
Now on its third year, “Operation: Strikeback” is specifically designed against all types of sextortion modus operandi which specifically targets mostly female students, according to ACG director Senior Supt. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar.
Sextortion is an online modus operandi in which the victim, after being befriended and having online romantic relationship, will be lured to do sexual acts in front of a webcam.
Unknown to the victim, the suspect will record his sexual acts and threaten the victim that they will be uploaded if she will not send money in exchange for deleting or giving the soft copy of the nude photographs or videos.
“We are very much aware of the possibility that young students may end up victims of sextortion in the country with the opening of regular classes this month since during the summer period, we made at least three sextortion-related arrests with students as victims,” said Eleazar.
The first case was in Davao City in which a married Grade 6 teacher in Davao City forced his young student to have sex with him and threatened to expose her nude photographs on social media when she tried to end their immoral relationship. (Aaron B. Recuenco)