The Philippine National Police- Anti-Cybercrime Group (PNP-ACG) will intensify its monitoring on reports that students are selling lewd photos online so they can buy gadgets for online classes.

But PNP chief General Debold Sinas said these incidents will only be considered as crime if a victim will formally file a complaint to the police.

“We will have it discuss with ACG regarding that… Until such time that someone complains about that then it becomes a crime but if they personally post it, it’s up to them,” Sinas said in a press briefing.

“We have not received reports yet… I will direct the ACG to intensify their monitoring,” he said.

Sinas said the ACG will inform the parents or the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

According to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian Sunday, a student sector news portal, Philippine Online Student Tambayan (POST), said students are using hashtags such as “#AlterPH”, “#AlterPinay”, and “#AlterPhilippines” in social media to sell their photos and videos.

Alter account is a pseudonym of an internet user's primary account. This account is mostly used to hide their identity while being able to post unsafe photos and videos.

“These students use what they earn to buy gadgets for their siblings and pay for internet bills. A Christmas bundle, which contains an array of photos and videos that sometimes reveal the face of sellers, is sold for as low P150,” Gatchalian said.

Between March 1 to May 24 this year, there were 279,166 cases of online sexual exploitation of children recorded in Metro Manila, a spike of 264 percent from the 76,561 cases in the same period last year, Gatchalian said.

Gatchalian said the Department of Education (DepEd) should boost its child protection program, noting that the 'Child Protection Committees' (CPC) in schools are mandated to identify learners who may be experiencing abuse and exploitation. CPCs are also expected to report cases to government agencies and non-government organizations.

The senator urged the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Cybercrime and the ACG to intensify their probe and crack down on these activities. Ella Dionisio/DMS