The ‘Queen of Cyberporn’ and Her Town’s Industry of Abuse
This article is for subscribers only.
Along the narrow roads leading into the Philippine village of Ibabao, billboards highlight traditional crafts such as baking cassava cakes, rope making, and sea-shell jewelry. There’s no mention of a less salubrious trade that has swept the area in recent years: child porn.
The area has developed a reputation as a global center of the sexual exploitation of children largely due to Eileen Ontong, authorities say. For at least seven years, Ontong -- dubbed “the Queen of Cyberporn” by local media -- abused children on demand in front of a webcam for cash delivered via international wire transfer services, according to Philippine and U.S. police.