Charges filed vs Swedish national

CEBU, Philippines - The Swedish national arrested on Sunday is now facing charges before the court in Cebu City after the Prosecutor’s office elevated the case for Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and two counts of child abuse against him.

 The criminal cases against Hans Christer Johansson, 60 were filed on March 26, 2014 before the Office of the Criminal Records of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Cebu City.

 Johansson was arrested on Sunday midnight by the operatives of Anti-Cybercrime Group-7 led by Senior Inspector Michael Vertudazo and the Talisay City Police Station led by Superintendent Resty Santos, with a search warrant issued by RTC Judge Macaundas Hadjirasul.

 During the operation, the authorities rescued two minors aged 14 and 15. The two were brought to the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 for debriefing.

 Apart from that, the authorities likewise seized laptops, a cellular phone, external drives and other digital evidences, in the rented apartment of Johanson in Barangay Dumlog, Talisay City.

 It was the Talisay City police that monitored the alleged illegal activities of the Swedish national.  However, they reportedly decided to coordinate with the Anti-Cybercrime Group when they implemented the search warrant at 12:45 a.m. on March 23, 2014.

 Johanson, in an earlier report, denied the allegations against him citing the “police are full of lies.” He added that he was just eating with the girls in his house and was “not doing something illegal.”

 Under Republic Act 10364 otherwise known as the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012, new rule on human trafficking, the confidentiality rule on the identity of the suspect is being deleted. However, the confidentiality rule on the victim still remains.  (FREEMAN)