Mayor Gica Lands Punches on Child Trafficking Suspect!

CEBU — Dumanjug Mayor Efren “Gungun” Gica shocked his town after he punched and slapped a man accused of child abuse and trafficking — right inside his own home!

The drama unfolded on August 19, when the suspect and his live-in partner showed up at the mayor’s residence, allegedly to “clear their names” and ask for help. Believing they could get special treatment because one of them shared the middle name “Gica,” the couple miscalculated badly.

Instead of getting favors, the two walked straight into their own downfall. Police arrested them on the spot after investigators discovered they were pimping out an 11-year-old child in video calls to foreign clients — charging a staggering ₱30,000 to ₱50,000 per call.

The woman confessed she had long been involved in the racket and admitted she was forced to use minors because their clients demanded children.

The horror deepened when the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) revealed the couple’s other victims included a 9-year-old child and even their own 3-year-old daughter.

Furious, Mayor Gica issued a public ultimatum: All suspects involved in child exploitation, rape, cyber pornography, trafficking, and other child abuse cases must surrender by August 28.“Starting August 29, we will hunt down anyone who refuses to give up,” the mayor warned.

But the fiery move sparked controversy. Reports say the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Region 7 may investigate whether Mayor Gica’s physical assault on the suspect violated human rights.

For now, the scandal has left the town torn between outrage over the child trafficking ring — and questions about whether the mayor went too far in taking justice into his own hands.