CEBU, Philippines - Denying the allegations filed against him, a 50-year-old Australian pleaded not guilty to seven counts of human trafficking during his arraignment yesterday.
The accused, a resident of Melbourne, Australia, was charged for human trafficking, a non-bailable offense, after he allegedly hired and maintained three minor boys for sexual exploitation.
He was arrested by the virtue of warrant of arrest issued by Judge Ester Veloso of Regional Trial Court Branch 6.
His counsel Jonnah John Ungab said prior to the arraignment he asked for its deferment as he had filed a motion to consolidate cases in RTC Branch 22.
The accused was also charged in a child abuse case raffled to RTC Branch 22.
However, Veloso said the motion to consolidate will not affect the arraignment.
Ungab said after the case will be consolidated they are planning to file a motion to post bail.
He said he found inconsistencies in the resolution of the Department of Justice questioning the existence of human trafficking and added they presumed that the minors were forced to testify against his client.
Earlier, DOJ Secretary Leila de Lima recommended the filing of the case after reviewing the resolution of City Prosecutor Nicolas Sellon who dismissed the human trafficking case against the accused.
Sellon dropped the case for lack of probable cause but recommended the filing of three counts of child abuse before the court.
However, de Lima modified the resolution penned by Sellon.
De Lima averred the crime is “qualified” after it was committed large-scale and the trafficked persons are all minor boys aged 15 and 16.
Reportedly, the victims met the accused through a social networking site.
The accused works as a computer analyst in Australia. (FREEMAN)