Among the victims of the suspect, identified as Teddy Jay Mojeca Mejia, were children from Taguig City who were rescued by the police on September 9, 2024.
(A file photo of the Philippine National Police)
According to the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the suspect was involved in sexual exploitation and selling materials containing sexually explicit acts performed by minors.
Of the most recent victims rescued by authorities, allegedly exploited by Mejia, twenty-two hail from Taguig City, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, La Union, Baguio City, Bacoor in Cavite, and Marilao in Bulacan.
It was revealed that the suspect threatened the victims with the release of their explicit photos and videos unless they complied with his demands to create more explicit content.
The suspect allegedly sold explicit materials through the messaging app Telegram, where 19 foreigners from 10 countries paid him through electronic wallets.
Mejia had been previously arrested in the Philippines in 2014 and 2015 for violations of the Anti-Child Abuse Law and Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism.
He fled to Dubai in 2021 and continued his illicit activities.
Through the collaboration of Philippine authorities and the Red Notice issued by the International Police against Mejia, he was arrested in Dubai. He is also on the Red Notice list of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
The DILG stated that the suspect will be brought back to the Philippines to face charges of statutory rape, qualified trafficking in persons, and violations of Republic Act 11930, or the Anti Online Sexual Exploitation of Children and Anti Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials Act.
