Probe prostitution using legit online sites: QC exec

Belmonte issued the call after it was brought to her attention that racy photos of women now invade the testimonial section of a product, particularly women’s dresses and undergarments. (File Photo: Mayor Joy Belmonte/Facebook)

MANILA – Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte on Thursday urged authorities to investigate the possibility of online prostitution rings using legitimate e-commerce websites as means to ply their illegal trade.

Belmonte issued the call after it was brought to her attention that racy photos of women now invade the testimonial section of a product, particularly women’s dresses and undergarments.

Belmonte, in a press release, said she found it strange for these women to post photos of them wearing underwear and other revealing dresses as testimonial for a product.

“I smell something fishy here.

Mukhang nakakita na naman ng bagong paraan ang mga sindikatong gamit ang mga lehitimong websites para maisulong ang kanilang ilegal na gawain (It seems they found another way by using legitimate websites to push their illegal activities),” Belmonte said.

“Nananawagan ako sa ating kapulisan na tingnan itong mabuti. Hindi natin dapat palampasin ang mga ganitong aktibidad na nakasisira sa moralidad ng ating lipunan (I call on the police to look into this. We should not put these kinds of activities aside),” she added.

She called on the Philippine National Police to include this in its monitoring of social media sites while they look for quarantine violators.

The police have been instructed recently to activate their social media networking team to pro-actively monitor viral health protocol violations.

Belmonte is a known advocate of women’s rights since her days as vice mayor and presiding officer of the Quezon City Council.

During her watch, the city council has passed various ordinances for the protection and advancement of women’s rights in the city.

Among them was the establishment of the QC Protection Center (QCPC), which acts as a one-stop-shop crisis center for victims of violence, harassment and abuse.

The QCPC was recently certified by the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) as a Gender and Development (GAD) Local Learning Hub (LLH) in 2019. (PR)