City Hall shuts down internet 'porno' club
Published in SunStar Pampanga
March 20, 2003
ANGELES CITY -- City hall officials padlocked the DRE Internet Systems here on suspicion that its premises and facilities were used in beaming photos of naked women to foreign countries.
Mayor Carmelo Lazatin ordered the closure after he received information that the firm's premises and equipment were used to publish photos of naked Filipino women through the internet. Reports said a minor was found under its employ.
Alberto Suller, city administrator, said that Lazatin ordered the closure of the DRE Internet System a day after the police arrested and charged Richard Ostermann and Jane V. Paguio during a search last Saturday.
Enrico Sangil, Angeles City Anti-Vice and Regulatory Squad (AVSquad) team leader, served the closure order on Paguio who was later detained inside the city jail with Ostermann.
Sr. Supt. Jimmy F. Restua, Angeles City Police Office (ACPO) director, said that Ostermann and Paguio are facing charges for violation of Republic Act 7610 specifically for employing a minor who was found among their internet chat ladies.
Suller said that operators of the DRE Internet System are culpable for violation of RA 7610 specifically known as "Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act."
According to Suller, the operators also violated Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code for publication of photos of nude women on the internet.
Ostermann, Paguio and about 20 of their internet chat ladies were taken to police headquarters for investigation after a raid led by Sr. Insp. Erlinda Tullao, ACPO Women and Children's Concerns Section (WCCS) chief, and Sr. Insp. Ricardo S. Arejola of the ACPO Detective Bureau.
The raiding team was accompanied by Sangil and AVSquad member Dennis Tungul when they served the search warrant issued by Judge Ofelia Tuazon Pinto of the Regional Trial Court in Angeles City.
Real operators
In an interview inside the Angeles City District Jail, Ostermann refuted reports alleging that he is responsible for publishing pornographic materials on the internet website http://xcitingbabes.com.
He said that he and his computer layout artists use the computers only in the front room of the internet services office and had absolutely nothing to do with what went on at the backroom.
Ostermann also declared that the operations of the DRE Internet Systems are under the supervision of one Glenn Matthews.
He said that Erlinda Duaso, the registered owner of the company, was married to Matthews but the two have separated.
He said that Matthews flew to Florida, USA about a week before the raid.
During the raid, employees told police that Duaso also left recently with her son and went on vacation in her hometown in Samar in the Visayas.
Ostermann said that Matthews allows him to use the DRE's computers anytime. He added that he assists Matthews with the repairs and maintenance of the computers.
He said that he provides
Matthews free computer repairs done by layout artists whom he hires
part-time.
By Dante M. Fabian
