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Luzon

Australian accompanied by female minors held

Philippines | Luzon

Australian accompanied by female minors held

By Calvin Cordova

CEBU CITY – An Australian was arrested after he was caught in the company of a group of female minors in San Remigio town, northern Cebu province on Feb. 4.

Personnel of the Tourist Police Unit rescued six girls aged between 15- and 17-years-old.

The suspect was apprehended at the port of Hagnaya on Tuesday morning.

Police Executive Master Sgt. Yuri Colonia, chief investigator of the San Remegio Police Station, said the 45-year-old Australian and his female companions were headed to Bantayan Island where they were stopped at the port.

Police learned that the foreigner resides in a hotel in Cebu City.

The female minors said they went with the suspect for island-hopping in Bantayan.

They were asked to present documents like passports but failed to present one.

Further investigation showed that the foreigner had been “victimizing” minors by bringing them to hotels.

Colonia said the suspect violated the Special Protection and Discrimination Act by being with minors who are not his relatives.

The minors were later turned over to social workers for necessary interventions.

Related Tags

Cebu province human trafficking

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