The police operations were conducted by personnel from the different districts, under the Chief of Regional Directorial Staff and TF Magdalena over-all commander Sr. Supt. Leonardo Dionisio, in close coordination with the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) under Chairman Edu Manzano, the Videogram Regulatory Board (VRB), and local government executives.
In a press conference held at the NCRPO Satellite Office in Kamuning, Quezon City, NCRPO chief Director Ricardo F. de Leon said that apart from the arrest of persons selling smut printed materials and the confiscation of tabloid newspapers, operations conducted by the Central Police District (CPD), the Western Police District (WPD), the Southern Police District (SPD), the Northern Police District (NPD), and the Eastern Police District (EPD) also resulted to the confiscation of 1,500 pieces of assorted pornographic VCDs around Metro Manila.
The operations were conducted following a periodic assessment made by "Magdalena monitoring teams’’ on places where pornographic materials proliferate and are distributed at a high rate.
The title of seized tabloid newspapers include: "Boso,’’ "Sagad,’’ "Hataw,’’ "Toro,’’ "Swabe,’’ "Sisid,’’ and "Tigas TT.’’
The NCRPO chief said that the current focus of the campaign is the manufacturers and publishers of the pornographic materials.
The revitalized campaign against pornography is in line with the directive of PNP Chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr., for the implementation of programs aimed at thwarting moral degradation and preventing the further circulation of pornographic materials which have been known to stir lewd designs among men who ultimately commit sexual offenses.
De Leon said that the peddlers and manufacturers are liable for violation of Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code as amended by Presidential Decrees 960 and 969 for the manufacture and sale of pornographic materials which encompasses immoral doctrines, obscene publications and exhibition and indecent shows.
Task Force Magdalena is composed of six task groups: Task Group north; Task Group East; Task Group West; Task Group South; and Task Group Central, which are to be composed by personnel from the different districts and will conduct operations against pornographic materials in their respective areas of responsibility. Task Group Alalay, constituted by members of the Regional Special Action Unit (RSAU), will provide personnel augmentation to the Task Force during the conduct of operations against pornographic materials.
In the conduct of operations, all teams have been tasked to strictly observe the police operational procedures, to coordinate with the local government executives and other concerned agencies, and to exercise due respect for human rights.
