Aussie in human trafficking case wants to post bail

CEBU, Philippines - The 78-year-old Australian national accused of keeping minors as sex slaves has asked the court to allow him to post bail claiming that the evidence against him is weak.

Through his lawyer Cherry Mae Cabelte the accused, whose name withheld because of the confidentiality provision of the law, said that the prosecution did not have strong evidence against him.

“We are filing a motion to post bail in the ground of the prosecution has weak evidence against our client,” Cabelte said.

The motion to post bail has prompted the court to move the scheduled pre-trial conference yesterday on February 23. Regional Trial Court Judge Manuel Patalinghug has directed the prosecution to submit their comment on the motion within 10 days.

Lawyer Joann Pabriaga of the Children’s Legal Bureau said they will be filing an opposition. Pabriaga said they have strong evidence against the accused.

“Yes we will be filing our vehement opposition. We believe that our evidence of guilt is strong based on the affidavits of the victims who identified him as having harbored them in his house and essentially made them as sex slaves and the mere fact that these four minors were found in his place during the arrest,” Pabriaga said in a text message sent to The FREEMAN.

The accused is charged with eight counts of qualified trafficking, a non-bailable offense, and seven counts of child abuse.

He was arrested by the police in July 10 inside his residence in Inayagan, Naga City based on a warrant of arrest issued by the court.  (FREEMAN)