It was not just Dean Edward Cheves, a former director of the United States Embassy in Manila.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has revealed that another foreigner is facing the same charges filed against Cheves for having illicit sex with a 16-year-old Filipina and possessing pornographic materials.
Last Tuesday, Aug. 31, the DOJ said that Judge Byron Gabbuat San Pedro of the Taguig City regional trial court (RTC) Branch 15 (a family court) has issued an arrest warrant against Spanish national Francisco Manuel Sanchez de Oria, 36, also known as Franco Sanchez.
Like Cheves, Sanchez was charged with violations of Republic Act No. 7610, the Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act, and RA 9775, the Anti-Child Pornography Act.
“On 16 August 2021, the criminal informations (charge sheets) for the said violations were filed at the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Taguig City,” the DOJ said in a statement.
“On the same day, the Office of the Executive Judge issued a Precautionary Hold Departure Order against Sanchez upon motion of the trial prosecutor,” it said.
The DOJ said the charges against the Spaniard were filed by the Office of the City Prosecutor (OCP) of Taguig City following the conduct of a preliminary investigation of the complaint filed last March 12 by Jane (not her real name), a 16-year-old exclusive school student.
The complaint against Cheves, against whom an arrest order has been issued by the Pasay City RTC Judge Christian P. Castaneda, was also filed by Jane. Cheves is in the US where he was earlier indicted for having illicit sex in a foreign country and for possessing pornography.
“The facts, as narrated by Jane, revealed that she met Sanchez in person on 14 December 2020 when he picked her up in Pasay City,” the DOJ said.
“After she was picked up, Sanchez brought Jane at his place in Taguig City where they took illegal drugs and immediately had sex – first sexual abuse,” it said.
After their first meeting, the DOJ said the Spaniard met and committed “sexual abuse” with Jane 10 more times on Dec. 19 to 20; Dec. 27 to 28; Jan. 7 to 8; Jan. 16, 21, 23, and 29; and Feb. 11.
In some of these dates, Jane narrated that the Spaniard was joined by other persons only known as “Sam” and “Gil.”
In the cases against Cheves, Jane said that she first communicated with Cheves through the dating app “Bumble” when she was just around 12 years of age.
She said she personally met Cheves for the first time last Feb. 12 in Dasmarinas Village in Makati City where she alleged she was asked to do oral sex.
She also said she met Cheves again last Feb. 22 and they went to a motel in Pasay City where he took videos of their sexual activity.
With the issuance of an arrest order against Cheves, the DOJ has started studying the possibility of his extradition to face the charges before the Pasay City RTC.
If Cheves is not arrested or extradited and presented physically before the Pasay City RTC, the cases against him may be archived.