The five were rescued in an apartment being rented by the two suspects, who are sisters. Charges for violating Republic Act 7610, or the Anti-Child Abuse and Protection Act, while operating their cyber sex den, have been filed against the two sisters whose names were withheld.

The youngest victim, who is only 13, said they were being paid to stand naked before a computer web camera, and paid extra when they perform sexy acts to entertain customers in their own computer terminals also equipped with web cams.

According to Chief Insp. Rosalinda Abellon, head of the provincial Women and Children’s Concerns Desk (WCCD) and the Police Community Relations Unit, an earlier surveillance had confirmed reports of cyber-sex operations.

The victims said most of the internet clients were foreigners, who paid the sisters via a money transfer firm with branches throughout the country.

Abellon said the girls are now under the custody of the Social Welfare Office in Bayawan City.

Cyber sex crimes are not easy to detect because operations are clandestine by the nature of the crime.