News report | 05-12-2025 | 09:13
A 78-year-old man from Rotterdam was arrested on Tuesday, December 2, on suspicion of child sexual abuse in the Philippines and livestreaming of such abuse. During the investigation, close cooperation took place with Philippine law enforcement agencies. This cooperation led to the arrest of a female suspect in the Philippines in October and the rescue of four children from the abusive situation. The man from Rotterdam will appear before the examining magistrate on Friday.
The investigation by the Team Combating Child Pornography and Child Sex Tourism (TBKK) of the National Detection and Intervention Unit (LO) was initiated under the leadership of the National Public Prosecutors Office in February 2025. The suspect came into focus during another investigation into livestreaming of child abuse. Detectives searched the mans home at the end of May this year and seized various data carriers. Research showed that he had extensive contact with a Filipino woman via WhatsApp, among others. He received child pornographic material from her for payment.
Abuse on demand
This woman also arranged the livestreams of sexual child abuse for him. At the suspects request, children in the Philippines were sexually abused on camera while he watched remotely. Intensive research into the chats revealed that the man also traveled to the Philippines and that the same Filipino woman arranged underage girls for payment whom he could sexually abuse there. During the investigation, the police closely monitored to ensure the man would not travel again to the Philippines.
Children rescued
Dutch police immediately shared information about the Filipino suspect and the victims with law enforcement agencies in the Philippines. They quickly took action. The Philippine police succeeded in verifying the womans residence and confirmed that this was the location where the child abuse was recorded on camera. Child pornographic material was found on the womans phone, after which she was arrested. Four minor victims were also rescued by the police from the abusive situation.
Phone investigation
Digital detectives found chats on the womans phone showing that she still had contact with the man from Rotterdam. For the Dutch police, this is an important indication that the man maintained contact with the Filipino woman even after the search. Meanwhile, after thorough analysis of the mans data carriers, the police found many minor victims, not all of whom have been identified. He was arrested on December 2.
International cooperation
The operation in the Philippines and the recent arrest of the Dutch man are the result of intensive cooperation within PICACC (Philippine Internet Crimes Against Children). Within this cooperation, Dutch, Philippine, British, and Australian police and IJM combat sexual child abuse in the Philippines.
The investigation is ongoing. The man will appear before the examining magistrate in Rotterdam on Friday.