MANILA, Philippines — The commitment of three cities of Northern Mindanao to fight online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), and the proliferation of child sexual abuse or exploitation materials (CSAEM) was supported by the European Union (EU) through its program aiming to increase coordination of justice sector intuitions within the areas.
According to the EU, its Governance in Justice programme (GOJUST) works with national agencies such as the Department of Justice, the Department of Interior and Local Government, and the Supreme Court “to develop more responsive and accountable justice services in the country.”
The three cities that pronounced themselves as the Tri-City Justice Zone are Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City, and Ozamiz City—with its launch led by Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, and Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos.
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“The Tri-City Justice Zone shall strengthen this resolve to combat these crimes using all resources at our disposal,” Remulla said in a statement issued by the EU on Monday.
“The fight against OSAEC and CSAEM, however, begets each of us, in our neighborhoods, schools, online spaces, and everything in between,” he added.
For her part, Ana Sanchez Ruiz, Charges d’Affaires and Deputy Head of the Delegation of the EU to the Philippines, highlighted their “long-term support to the justice sector’s reform initiatives that improve access to justice for those most vulnerable.”
“Combating sexual abuse and exploitation in all its forms, in this case, more specifically of children, is a shared priority of the European Union and of the Philippines,” she added.
Other Justice Zones are:
- Puerto Princesa
- Dagupan
- Quezon City
- Cebu
- Angeles
- Davao
- Bacolod
- Naga
- Calamba
- Balanga
- Baguio
- Zamboanga
EU said these zones started in 2014.
Cities part of it are “designed” to coordinate through justice sector actors such as courts, the police, jails, and civil society.
Based on reports, the recently approved Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028 promotes justice sector coordination “to improve the sector’s efficiency and accountability and to bring about sustainable reforms.”
Under the plan, new justice zones will be launched every year during the said period.