40 2020 Annual Report on the Human Rights Situation in the Philippines 116 Based on the data from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), a total of 279,166 cases of online sexual abuse has been reported to the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Cybercrime (OCC) from March to May 2020. 169Compared to 76,561 cyber tips over the same period in 2019, this translates to an increase of 264%. Most of these cases include possession, manufacture, and distribution of child pornography; online enticement of children for sexual acts; child sex trafficking; sex tourism involving children; extra-familial child sexual molestation; unsolicited obscene material sent to a child; and misleading words or digital images on the internet.170 117 Over the course of two years, the Philippine Government has undertaken relevant legislative measures to better promote and protect the rights of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict (CSAC). These include the passage of the landmark law on the Protection of CSAC on January 2019, the publication of its Implementing Rules and Regulation last June 2020, and the signing of the CSAC Handling Protocol this September 2020. 118 However, despite the passage of the CSAC Law last year, the Commission has monitored 20 cases of Grave Child Rights Violations (GCRVs) affecting 35 children from 2019-2020. Almost all these cases happened in Mindanao. Recruitment of children by armed groups, killing and maiming, and attack on schools are the most reported violations. CHR also investigated reports of children being detained for their alleged association with armed groups. 119 The Senate bill on a measure declaring child marriages as illegal was approved on third and final reading by the Senate. According to its statement, this affirms the government’s commitment to upholding the best interest of the child by barring child marriage as a form of child abuse. The CHR hopes for a society where every child, particularly young girls, is free from these tragic marriages171. 120 A bill seeking to provide children with stronger protection against rape by raising the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16 years old has been approved on the third and final reading at the House of Representatives with 207 votes. 121 Under House Bill 7836, rape is committed when the victim is 16 years old or over and has a disability that renders him or her unable to fully understand the consequences of sexual activity. It also holds liable those guilty of committing “grooming,” when such results in acts of rape, as defined by the presented amendments. Grooming pertains to psychological actions made by an adult to lessen a minor’s fears as a prelude to sexual abuse.172 Rights of Persons with Disability (PWD) During the COVID-19 Pandemic 122 Reports of human rights violations against persons with disabilities mainly concern their right to life, liberty, and personal safety and right to not be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. The number of reports are particularly high in CALABARZON where CHR Region IV-A received, referred, and/or investigated 169 Joseph Almer Pedrajas, DOJ: Online child sexual exploitation cases tripled during ECQ, Manila Bulletin, May 25, 2020, available at https://news.mb.com.ph/2020/05/25/doj-online-child-sexual-exploitation-cases-tripled-during-ecq/ (last accessed June 27, 2020) 170 Ibid. 171 See http://chr.gov.ph/statement-of-chr-spokesperson-atty-jacqueline-ann-de-guia-on-the-senate-approval-on-finalreading-a-bill-declaring-child-marriages-illegal/. 172 Limpot, Kristel (2020, December 1). House bill raising age of sexual consent to 16 hurdles final reading. CNN Philippines, available at cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/12/1/house-approves-bill-raising-statutory-rape-age-16.html