OMB seeks CBCP help in fighting child pornography

MANILA, July 9 (PNA) - The Optical Media Board (OMB) on Thursday sought the help of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) to put a stop on child pornography.

OMB chairman Ronnie Rickets said that the OMB's partnership with the bishops' group would further intensify campaign against abuse on minors.

CBCP media director Monsignor Pedro Quitorio said the CBCP had been involved in the campaign against child pornography.

"It (pornography) is destroying children. It is much worse than sex education," he said, adding that,"I see the Church more involvement in the information dissemination. We will criticize government agencies which are not doing their job to combat child pornography."

On June 22, members of the Inter-Agency Council Against Child Pornography, led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, signed the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Child Pornography Act, RA 9775.

The IRR will take effect on July 13, or 15 days after its publication in major dailies.

The law defines child pornography as "any representation, be it visual, audio or written, combination thereof, by electronic, mechanical, digital, optical, magnetic or other means, of a child engaged in real or simulated explicit sexual activities."

Violators may be penalized with fines ranging from P50, 000 to P5 million to reclusion perpetua. (PNA)