Once criminal charges are filed in the Philippines against a former American diplomat who was indicted in the United States for sexually abusing a 16-year-old Filipina and possessing child pornographic materials, the Department of Justice (DOJ) will seek his extradition.
Indicted in the US by a federal jury in Eastern District of Virginia was Dean Cheves, who was a member of the US foreign service and was stationed in the Philippines from Sept. 2020 to Feb. 2021.
DOJ Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra on Monday afternoon, Aug. 9, said “the DOJ is presently coordinating with the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) on relevant legal issues such as diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention and territorial jurisdiction.”
Once these issues have been clarified, Guevarra said the Philippine government will “proceed to coordinate with the US Department of justice under the umbrella of the RP-US Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT).”
“Depending on the evidence made available, the subject US personnel may be held criminally and civilly liable under our Anti-Child Abuse Act, Anti-Child Pornography Act, Anti-Human Trafficking Law, and the Revised Penal Code,” he said.
“Mr. Cheves may be extradited to the Philippines once he is charged under any or all of the aforementioned laws, subject to the provisions of our extradition treaty with the US,” he explained.
Published reports quoting the statement of the US Department of Justice stated that Chevez met the Filipina minor online and engaged in sexual activity with her. He reportedly took videos of himself.