CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Seven survivors of online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), including a 10-month-old infant, were rescued in a series of anti-trafficking operations across Northern Mindanao during the first quarter of 2026, authorities said.
The rescue operations, carried out from January to March in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities, were led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office 10 (DSWD-10) through its Recovery and Reintegration Program for Trafficked Persons (RRPTP), in coordination with law enforcement agencies.
Of the seven rescued, five were minors, while two were young adults who had been exploited since childhood. The survivors include four males and three females.
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Three separate operations were conducted in Iligan City, where six survivors were rescued.
Authorities credited the success of these raids to the intensified anti-cybercrime campaign of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in the area.
A separate operation in Cagayan de Oro City stemmed from a digital forensics breakthrough after evidence recovered from a previously arrested foreign national exposed an alleged grooming network targeting children across several countries.
In two operations, authorities also recovered materials showing child sexual abuse. In one case, investigators found a mother allegedly transmitting explicit images of her own children through Facebook Messenger.
DSWD-10 Regional Director Glofelia J. Uayan said the agency will continue strengthening efforts to protect children and support survivors.
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“DSWD-10 will continue to intensify our efforts together with our partner agencies and local government units to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable while survivors are provided with immediate care, protection, and opportunities for recovery and rehabilitation,” Uayan told Gold Star Daily in a text message Tuesday, April 28.
All seven survivors are now under temporary shelter in DSWD-10 facilities, where they are receiving psychosocial support, hygiene kits, financial assistance, and rehabilitation services.
Authorities urged parents and guardians to closely monitor children’s online activities, be cautious of suspicious online contacts, and immediately report possible cases of child exploitation to local social welfare offices or the police Women and Children Protection Desk.
The operations were carried out with support from the PNP Women and Children Protection Center–Mindanao Field Unit, PNP Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 10, Task Force OSAEC Iligan, the Philippine Internet Crimes Against Children Center, local social welfare offices, and the Department of Justice’s Regional Anti-Child Online Sexual Exploitation and Trafficking Task Force 10.
