PWC eyes trafficking raps: Swedish nat'l faces child abuse

CEBU, Philippines - A 67-year-old Swedish national is now facing charges for the violation of Republic Act 7610 also known as the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office.

This after the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7 filed a complaint against the Swedish national for violating Section 10 (b) of the said law which states that “any person who shall keep or have in his company a minor, twelve (12) years or under or who in ten (10) years or more his junior in any public or private place, hotel, motel, beer joint, discotheque, cabaret, pension house, sauna or massage parlor, beach and/or other tourist resort or similar places.”

The complaint was assigned to Prosecutor Noel Cellona.

The FREEMAN is withholding the name of the Swedish national upon the request of his fiancée.

The woman who claimed to be a fiancée of the Swedish national said that the 9-year old girl whom the respondent brought when he was arrested was his cousin.

She said she has all the documents to prove the same.

She added that her fiancé and the girl went to a hospital in Cebu City for medical treatment but when she was asked further questions, she declined to answer and said “no comment.”

But the Provincial Women’s Commission is determined to file a trafficking charge against the Swedish national.

PWC chairperson Vice Governor Agnes Magpale said that a Technical Working Group is now in conference with the National Bureau of Investigation for the filing of appropriate charges.

“I really want to file trafficking but at the moment its only child abuse,” Magpale told reporters.

Magpale got mad over initial reports she received that the child is so protective saying that she was not molested by the foreigner.

The TWG is now looking for witnesses for the trafficking charges that they are set to file against the Swedish national.

The 67-year old Swedish national was arrested last Tuesday at the Cebu Port as he was about to board a ship for Masbate province with a 9-year-old Filipina.

 Port police stopped the foreigner on suspicion that he had violated a special law on the abuse of minors and the child was turned over to the NBI.

Earlier reports said the Swedish national brought the girl to a hospital in Cebu City for medical treatment.

The Maritime police reportedly acted on a tip from an informant in Masbate.

The foreigner and the child were sitting together apparently waiting for their ship bound for Masbate at Pier 3 when policemen approached them. — (FREEMAN)