DISMAYADO si Senador Kiko Pangilinan sa pang-iisnab ng social media giants na Facebook at Twitter sa pagdinig ng Senado kaugnay sa online abuse and exploitation of children.

Tinawag pa ni Pangilinan na crime scene ang mga social media platform na ito, partikular ang fake accounts na sangkot sa criminal activities.

“These abuses are happening in plain sight for lack of a better term in these social media accounts. They’re making money out of these activities and sana man lang nagpadala ng representative dito sa ating hearing,” pahayag ni Pangilinan.

Sa pagdinig nitong Martes ng Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations and Gender Equality, tinalakay ang mga panukala laban sa electronic violence sa mga babae at kabataan, online sexual abuse at exploitation of children at ang posibleng exploitative websites.

“Why isn’t Facebook here? Are they even interested to address the challenges of violations of our children’s rights?” tanong ni Pangilinan.

“For the record, we are very concerned about their absence. In fact, I am told that Twitter is also a source of online exploitation. And they are also not here,” dagdag pa ng senador.

Kinatigan din ni Senador Pia Cayetano ang panawagan ni Pangilinan na magkaroon ng hiwalay na pagdinig kasama ang social media giants dahil malaki rin ang kanilang pananagutan.

Nangako naman si Senadora Risa Hontiveros, chairperson ng komite, na ipatatawag ang Facebook at pagpapaliwanagin hindi lamang sa online exploitation kundi maging sa isyu sa Facebook-facilitated adoptions.

“We will consider holding them in contempt,” banta pa ni Hontiveros.

“The least they could have done is appear here before the committee and explain their own policies. And it’s most unfortunate that their absence here prevents us from getting their side,” giit naman ni Pangilinan.

Inamin naman ng National Bureau of Investigation na wala pang naihahaing kaso laban sa mga telco at social media platform kaugnay sa cybercrime.

“Sa end po ng anti-human trafficking division wala pa po. ‘Yan nga po ‘yung pinag-aaralan namin through the inter-agency council against child pornography. Kasi kailangan marami pa po kaming makuhang evidence para masampahan po namin ng kaso itong mga telco, or mga social media platform,” pahayag ni Atty. Janet Francisco ng Anti-Human Trafficking Division ng NBI.

Inirekomenda naman ni Pangilinan na bumuo ang Department of Justice ng hiwalay na team para sa case build-up at paghahain ng kaso.

“Kasi kung wala pang kaso, eh talagang they will treat us with almost contemptible behavior. Sana pag-aralan ninyo sino ang puwedeng managot dito sa mga telco o social media platform dito sa mga criminal activity na nangyayari affecting our children,” diin ni Pangilinan.