After boybastos, Loren goes after thepinoytube.com

MANILA, Philippines - Senator Loren Legarda this week urged the anti-cyber crime units of the government to shut down the website thepinoytube.com for providing an unrestricted access to pornographic materials of Filipino women and children.

Legarda said that a complaint from a concerned citizen alerted her office about the website serving as a repository of lewd materials similar to boybastos.com.

The senator had caused the closing down of boybastos.com, whom she described as “by far, the filthiest Internet site we’ve come across."

Like boybastos.com, access to thepinoytube.com, especially by minors, should be stopped by the government, Legarda said.

The lawmaker asked the cyber crime divisions of the National Bureau of Investigation and the police, as well as the Inter-Agency Against Trafficking in Persons Act to find ways to close down thepinoytube.com.

IACT is the agency tasked to enforce the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and other laws against the prostitution, white slavery and sexual exploitation of women and children.

While thepinoytube.com requires those who wish to access its pornographic materials to register first and attest to being an adult, Legarda said even minors can easily register and become a member of the website.

Legarda said cybersex operators are behind the proliferation of lewd websites to lure those who become addicted to pornography towards their linked paid services.

“The degradation and corruption of women and children by cyber vultures have prompted me to author Senate Bill 1375, a proposed Anti-Computer Pornography Act," said Legarda.

“The passage of this bill into law is, therefore, an urgent matter because we have to protect our children from indecent and immoral materials," she said.

If passed into law, the bill would make it illegal for any computer facility and Internet website operator to transmit, offer or attempt to send any communication that contains indecent material to a person under 18 years of age.

Under Legarda’s bill, “indecent materials" would refer to “obscene literature or indecent or immoral plays, scenes, acts, or shows, whether live or in film."

They include materials that glorify criminals or condone crimes; serve no other purpose but to satisfy the market of violence, lust or pornography; offend any race or religion; tend to abet traffic in and use of illicit drugs; and are contrary to law, public order, morals, good customs, established policies, lawful order, decrees and edicts.

Legarda said that even traditional fronts of prostitution, like massage parlors, have become technology savvy in engaging in the oldest profession in the world. She explained that such establishments are now running websites where their prospective customers can look and avail of the services of the “models" online.

“They can choose and pay online and then go to the high-class prostitution dens for the deed. Clearly, our laws and law enforcers must be continuously updated on how to combat crimes as they evolve," she said.

An internet check showed that boybastos.com remains close though those accessing its domain name are linked to the blog site of the operator of the boybastos.com website.

A concerned citizen emailed the office of Senator Legarda to complain that thepinoytube.com is hosting all kinds of pornographic materials, including those victimizing minors.

“Madam senator, I want to bring to your attention a website I stumbled upon, showing sex videos of Filipino kids obviously catering to pedophiles," wrote the complainant in the vernacular.

“I was alarmed and scandalized by what I saw at thepinoytube.com, including a lewd video of a girl who was even in primary school uniforms. I am hoping that you will be able to have this website closed down." - Pinoypress.net