Philippine president signs Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has signed Republic Act 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 which seeks to make Filipino children less vulnerable to the illicit trade by imposing stiff penalties on anyone found guilty of any form of involvement in child pornography and enjoining private entities to help in the effort, according to local media Wednesday.

Republic Act 9775, which Arroyo signed on Tuesday, defines child pornography as “any representation, whether visual, audio, or written combination thereof, by electronic, mechanical, digital, optical, magnetic or any other means, or a child engaged or involved in real or simulated explicit sexual activities.”

It provides that a victim of child pornography shall be considered as a victim of a violent crime, and metes out penalties ranging from mayor to reclusion perpetual and a fine of 300,000 to5 million pesos (6438 to 107,296 U.S. dollars).

The new law criminalists hiring, employing, using, persuading, inducing or coercing a child to participate in the production or any form of child pornography; and any form of involvement in creating any form of child pornography.

It also criminalists publishing, offering, transmitting, selling, distributing, broadcasting, advertising, promoting, exporting or importing any form of child pornography; possessing any form of child pornography with the intent of selling, distributing, publishing or broadcasting them; and possessing and willfully accessing any form of child pornography.

The law also specifies the duties and responsibilities of internet service providers, mall owners and operators or lessors of business establishments, and internet content hosts to report any commission of any form of child pornography in their respective areas.