THE LAPSING into law of Republic Act 11930 – the Anti-Online Sexual Abuse or Exploitation of Children and Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act – should enable law enforcers to wage a better war against online sexual abuse of children.
Law enforcers needed RA 11930 so they could respond to the new environment and new tactics of criminals, especially conspirators and organized groups. Laws already in our statute books were insufficient because those old laws were for the old ways of criminal activity. The criminals have leveled up while the old laws were left behind, handicapping law enforcers.
Now, law enforcers have Republic Act 11930 to greatly help them in their efforts to catch the violators, gather needed evidence, build solid cases, and prosecute them effectively in court.
The law eliminates loopholes that criminals may exploit while perpetrating their crimes against children and while they are undergoing preliminary investigation and prosecution. This is also to aid enforcers to be thorough in their surveillance, arrest and investigation.
The new law sees to it that it would be extremely difficult for online abusers and exploiters of children to avoid arrest, investigation, and prosecution.
But having the law is not enough. Enforcing it is what’s most important. The implementing rules and regulations (IRR) must be crafted and law enforcers must be trained.
Yes, it is important to train the police, National Bureau of Investigation, barangay officials, social workers, prosecutors, and other implementors on the ground, out in the field, and online where the criminals roam and continue to commit their crimes.
It would be best if the implementing agencies issue the IRR sooner than the six months deadline provided in RA 11930. But the law will already take effect 15 days after publication, so even while the IRR is being written and goes through the approval process, RA 11930 can already be implemented.
Yes, it is important for every police officer, NBI agent, and barangay official to have a copy of the new law, so they can execute the law in an updated fashion.
The training component is essential because RA 11930 does not implement itself. The implementors are the ones who make the law real in the physical world and online. Implementing agencies must now write and print the manuals that will guide their personnel on how to execute the law as intended and how to make sure their detailed works are consistent with the law.
