SENATOR Risa Hontiveros vowed to intensify efforts against child sexual exploitation and the spread of deepfake pornography, warning that offenders are exploiting new technologies to expand their abuse.

Her call came after the arrest in Cebu of Thomas Scheuer, an American fugitive and alleged child sex offender who had been hiding in the Philippines without documentation for more than two decades.

Scheuer, wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States for possession of child sexual abuse materials, was tracked down in Talisay City, where he allegedly continued his abusive activities since 2000.

Hontiveros said a concerned citizen provided her office with information about Scheuer’s activities and whereabouts, which prompted her team to alert authorities.

She praised the Bureau of Immigration for their swift response, adding that the intervention prevented further harm.

Research by her office also revealed allegations that Scheuer may have abused his own daughter.

“It’s horrifying to imagine that someone capable of such acts has been freely walking among us for over two decades. If these allegations are proven true, he must be held fully accountable under the law,” Hontiveros said.

She linked Scheuer’s arrest to her committee’s ongoing investigation into deepfake pornography, noting that most of these materials are pornographic and that women and children are the primary victims.

She also warned that artificial intelligence is now accelerating the production and spread of exploitative content.

Hontiveros also recalled the recent Senate hearing where victims of deepfake pornography described how technology was being weaponized for sexual abuse.

She cited the testimony of actress Angel Aquino, who learned her face had been used in a pornographic video without her consent, and content creator Queen Hera, who recounted how her daughter’s image was manipulated and uploaded to the dark web.

The senator noted that both women spoke about the humiliation and heartbreak caused by these violations, underscoring the dangers posed by deepfake exploitation.

Hontiveros said government agencies had reported new measures to strengthen defenses against AI-enabled abuse.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology launched a unified dashboard for real-time monitoring of illegal sites and implemented a 24-hour takedown protocol.

The Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center is leading a national task force on deepfakes, while the Philippine National Police is procuring AI detection tools to enhance cyber patrols.

She added that representatives from platforms such as TikTok and Google informed lawmakers that they were implementing stricter safeguards to curb harmful content and protect online users.(MyTVCebu)

• Tags
• #Risa Hontiveros child protection
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• #deepfake pornography Philippines
• #Thomas Scheuer arrest Talisay
• #FBI fugitive Philippines
• #Bureau of Immigration Cebu arrest
• #AI-enabled abuse
• #Senate hearing deepfake
• #Angel Aquino testimo