'Hayden cam' case: Katrina Halili's grief is video traffickers' joy

MANILA, Philippines - It was a usual Wednesday afternoon in Quiapo. Devotees flocked to church asking the Black Nazarene miracle solutions to their problems. At Plaza Miranda, activists, still looking grim and determined, waved red flags and chanted slogans – this time, commemorating the first death anniversary of labor leader Crispin Beltran. But the vendors were wearing unusual smiles, while the crying face of actress Katrina Halili at the Senate was being flashed on TV sets at some stalls in Quiapo. "Ang bilis maubos [It sells quickly]," a DVD vendor said as her eyes sparkled while squeezing her belt bag full of money. The sex video of Halili with Dr. Hayden Kho might have raised a howl among those fighting the pornography and sexual exploitation menace. But for the poor merchants in Quiapo’s underground markets, the best-selling video was virtually a blessing from heaven. “Malakas ang kita ko. Naka two-hundred na ko, isang oras pa lang [I've earned a lot. I've already sold 200 in just an hour]," said another female vendor who claimed that she was able to sell 200 pieces of the Katrina-Hayden DVDs at P70 each an hour after the hot goods were delivered to her stall at 2 p.m. Covert sale The sale was being done covertly, though there was still no police crackdown. Sellers and their suppliers appeared to be conscious of the fact that authorities would take action anytime soon as the issue got hotter, with politicians jumping into the fray and issuing quotable quotes to media against Kho and the spread of the video. “Di pa nang-aaresto, baka hinihintay pang bumaba ang warrant [They haven’t conducted arrest, may be the warrant has not yet come out]," said a male vendor who showed a copy of the video on his cellphone, which could be sent to another cellphone for P50 through SMS or blue tooth. Except for one stall near the Isetann Mall on Carriedo Street that was covertly selling the hot stuff for P100 each, DVD copies of the video were rarely sold on the streets near the Basilica of the Black Nazarene on Wednesday. “Walang Katrina-Hayden dito, bukas pa [There’s no Katrina-Hayden video here yet, it will be available tomorrow]," read a message on a cardboard written by a vendor of pornographic DVDs along Raon who got tired of answering queries whether he was selling copies of the controversial video. It’s really Katrina But across the church, in the area commonly called "Musliman," DVD copies of the video abound. Mothers, teens, and even some children were selling it. "Totoong si Katrina ‘yan…tingnan mo dito sa cellphone ko. Ibalik mo pag hindi [It’s really Katrina…you can check here on my cellphone. Just return it if I’m not saying the truth]," said a young male vendor on Hidalgo Street, who showed a copy of the video on his cellphone to buyers. Next to Hidalgo Street is Elizondo Street where DVD stalls were huddled like fish stalls in a talipapa. “O Katrina! Bili na! Bili na! Singkwenta lang! [You buy Katrina, it’s only P50)," shouted a vendor as he went near commuters of jeepneys plying the Punta-Quiapo route that pass through Elizondo. Across the porn talipapa is a department-store-like establishment where all kinds of hardcore DVD porns were being sold. Every stall inside the store was filled with DVDs with covers that display the pictures of naked women in various positions and sizes. Many female vendors were selling the DVDs of naked women to predominantly male consumers, seemingly unmindful of the issues sparked by the Hayden-Katrina scandal. “Ano hanap mo? Katrina ba? Eto oh, bili na, mauubos na [What are you looking for? Is it Katrina? Here it is, buy it, we will soon run out of it]," a female vendor wearing a head cover told one buyer. - GMANews.TV