Latest news with #CagayanDeOro
Malay Mail
06-07-2025
- Malay Mail
Philippine police arrest South Korean YouTuber accused of fathering child with 14-year-old girl
MANILA, July 6 — A South Korean man in his 50s has been arrested in the Philippines on charges of child abuse, human trafficking and sexual exploitation, following allegations that he fathered a child with a 14-year-old Filipino girl he had been living with. According to Hankook Ilbo, Philippine authorities said the suspect, identified only as 'A', was detained on June 11 in Cagayan de Oro City. The arrest followed a tip-off from the country's cybercrime investigators, who flagged a YouTube video that raised suspicions of child exploitation. Police rescued the teenage girl, referred to as 'B', along with her two-month-old baby, believed to have been fathered by the suspect. The case is being pursued under multiple Philippine laws, including the Anti-Rape Law and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act. Investigators say the man had used a YouTube channel purportedly created to help underprivileged Filipino children, soliciting donations from South Korean viewers under the guise of charity work. However, authorities believe the channel masked exploitative behaviour. Online crime-monitoring group Crime Net has claimed that the man is behind a YouTube account that regularly posted videos of children in poor communities, a practice critics have labelled 'poverty porn'. The suspect's final video, uploaded on the day of his arrest, reportedly included a reference to the underage girl's baby: 'Born on April 24. My first baby.' Crime Net also pointed out that some of the videos had depicted the girl's pregnancy, with commenters now questioning whether the suspect was documenting his own crimes. 'This is horrifying,' wrote one viewer. Others posted comments such as 'Do not donate' and 'I saw the devil,' reflecting the widespread outrage online. The Korean Embassy in the Philippines has not issued a statement, but the case has sparked strong reactions in both countries, with calls for tighter oversight of overseas-based online content creators.
South China Morning Post
05-07-2025
- South China Morning Post
South Korean ‘poverty porn' YouTuber arrested in the Philippines over child abuse claims
South Korean man in his fifties has been arrested in the Philippines on charges of child abuse, trafficking and sexual exploitation involving a 14-year-old girl who later gave birth to his child. Advertisement The suspect is believed to have used a YouTube channel under the pretence of helping impoverished Filipino children to solicit donations – a revelation that has outraged both the South Korean and international public. According to Philippine media outlet GMA Network and the Philippine National Police Cybercrime Division, the suspect, identified only as A, was arrested on June 11 in Cagayan de Oro City. Authorities rescued the underage girl along with her two-month-old baby, who was allegedly fathered by A. A South Korean man has been arrested for various child exploitation crimes. Photo: Philippines Anti-Cybercrime Group Investigators said the arrest stemmed from online surveillance conducted by the National Coordination Centre against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children, which discovered a suspicious YouTube video suggesting potential crimes against minors. Authorities identified the South Korean man as the account holder, and determined he had been living with the 14-year-old girl. They later confirmed that she had given birth to his child, prompting charges under multiple laws including the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse Act, the Anti-Rape Law, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act. Although police have not released the suspect's name, he is widely believed to be a YouTuber who operated a so-called study room for children in poor neighbourhoods and appealed for donations from South Korean viewers. Screengrab from a YouTube site of a so-called study room for children in poor neighbourhoods, believed to be operated by the suspect. Photo: YouTube/Crime Net Online watchdog Crime Net, which documents criminal activity by South Korean nationals abroad, alleged in two recent videos that A was behind the YouTube account in question. The term 'poverty porn' has been used to describe his content – media that exploits the suffering of the poor to generate sympathy and monetary donations.
Fox News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Philippine lawmaker criticizes US for new travel warning: 'Unfair treatment from our number 1 ally'
A Philippine lawmaker on Sunday railed against the U.S. government for its updated travel advisory for the Asian country, with the politician arguing that the warning to American travelers is "unfair" coming from "our number one ally." "This is an unfair shotgun warning," Philippines House of Representatives member Rufus Rodriguez said. "There are certainly many places in our country that are safe to tourists such as Cagayan de Oro City." "The United States should review this advisory. We do not deserve this unfair treatment from our number one ally," he continued. On May 8, the U.S. State Department issued a "Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution" travel advisory for the Philippines. "Terrorists and armed groups have carried out kidnappings, bombings, and other attacks targeting public areas like tourist sites, markets, and local government facilities in the Philippines," the advisory reads. "Violent crimes are also common in the Philippines such as robbery, kidnappings, and physical assaults. Protests happen in the Philippines and could turn violent and/or result in traffic jams and road closures with limited capacity of the local government to respond." "Due to the risks, U.S. government employees working in the Philippines must obtain special authorization to travel to certain areas of the country," it added. The advisory cautioned against all travel to the Sulu Archipelago and Marawi City, issuing a "Level 4: Do Not Travel" warning over kidnappings and other attacks targeting foreign nationals, including Americans, in the Sulu Archipelago and the Sulu Sea and the risk of death or injury due to "ongoing clashes between terrorist group remnants and Philippine security forces in Marawi." It said the U.S. government had limited resources to provide emergency services to its citizens in these areas. A "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" advisory was issued for Mindanao island — with exceptions for Davao City, Davao del Norte Province, Siargao Island and the Dinagat Islands — due to terrorist and armed groups in Mindanao that have "historically engaged in kidnappings for ransom, in addition to bombings and other attacks." The warning said these incidents often target foreign nationals, including Americans. Rodriguez, who represents the second district of Cagayan de Oro, a city in northern Mindanao, called on his government's Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to summon U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson to demand answers over the advisory. The lawmaker also called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ask the DFA, Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez and the Philippine Department of Tourism to explain what they have done since the U.S. State Department's warning on May 8. Rodriguez argued that the warning places the country in a bad light for the international community. "It discourages not only Americans but other foreign tourists as well from visiting the Philippines. It will surely hurt our tourism sector," he said. "It is likewise particularly biased against our beloved island, Mindanao."
