Lawmaker seeks thorough investigation of WHO doctor

MANILA, Philippines - Cotabato Rep. Emmylou Talino-Mendoza urged authorities yesterday to further investigate the illegal activities of Dr. Marcus Hodge, an Australian employee of the World Health Organization (WHO), who was recently arrested for child prostitution.

Hodge, a program development and operations officer of the WHO, has been working in the country for the past seven years.

He was arrested last May 8 while allegedly molesting a 12-year-old boy inside a diplomatic car that was parked in the basement of an apartment building at the Rockwell Center in Makati City.

Since the arrest of Hodges, five other boys, with ages ranging from 11 to 15, have emerged and told the police that the Australian doctor also molested them inside his parked car.

“Did the arrested sex offender, while doing his job here at the World Health Organization, have any direct contact with other children? Did he handle any child health programs? These matters need probing to ensure a sweeping criminal investigation,” she said.

She said the authorities should look into Hodge’s work-related and personal travels to other parts of the country where he may have had the chance to prey on other minors.

With the help of the WHO, the authorities should thoroughly retrace Hodge’s activities here, she said.

Mendoza cited the case of American Amon Paul Carlock who was caught molesting young boys at the House of Joy orphanage in San Isidro, Davao Oriental.

She said with the help of a Filipino that he befriended over the Internet, Carlock traveled to the Philippines and visited the orphanage, where he regularly entertained the children by performing as a clown and magician.

Some of the young boys later complained that they woke up at night with Carlock fondling their private parts, she said.

The local police and US Immigration and Customs enforcement agents later seized Carlock’s digital camera and his laptop computer, where they found numerous pornographic materials of children.

Carlock later died at age 57 during a violent struggle with guards at a jail in Springfield, Illinois, where he was brought to face charges of engaging in child sex tourism and possession of child pornography.

Mendoza said in Hodge’s case, the authorities should also find ways to confiscate his home and office computers.

“If they haven’t already done it yet, they should cause the seizure of his computers, which may contain material that could possibly help identify other potential victims and build additional cases against him,” she said.

Mendoza warned foreign pedophiles that they would not find any safe haven in the Philippines, which has powerful laws against the prostitution, sexual exploitation and abuse of children.

She said the authorities should use the case against Hodge “to demonstrate that the Philippines does not allow foreign pedophiles to seek refuge, or find sanctuary here.”