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Filipino Ban on Real, Virtual Child Porn Signed into Law
posted on by Egan Loo
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Philippines signed into law the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 on Wednesday. Republic Act 9775 potentially bans both real and so-called "virtual" child pornography. It 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."
During the legislative debate on the bill, the authors highlighted what they described as "Japanese pornographic cartoon that depicts children in explicit sexual activity" and "hentai." The penalties can include reclusion perpetua (in effect, life imprisonment) and a fine of up to 5 million pesos (about US$100,000).
Source: Mainichi Shimbun, The Philippine Star
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