Australian pedophile, Filipino partner get life imprisonment

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines — An Australian pedophile and his Filipina partner have been sentenced to life imprisonment by a court in this city.

Peter Gerard Scully, 55, a native of Melbourne, and Carme Ann Alvarez were found guilty of rape of two minors and six counts of qualified trafficking, according to a ruling of Regional Trial Court Branch 37 Judge Jose Escobido which was released on Wednesday.

The couple was also ordered to pay a fine of P5 million.

”This is a big victory for us. This sends a very strong signal to traffickers that this government is serious in... prosecuting these cases,” Merlyn Uy, city prosecutor officer-in-charge, said.

Personnel of the National Bureau of Investigation-Anti-Human Trafficking Division arrested Scully in Malaybalay, Bukidnon in 2015 for allegedly running a pedophile ring and molesting dozens of children. He reportedly fled from Australia in 2011 after being charged with fraud.

Probers said Scully filmed teenage girls from poor families while he had sex with them or used sex toys. The videos were allegedly sold to customers in Brazil, Germany and the United States.

Scully faces trial for 60 other charges, including the rape of an 18-month-old girl and rape and murder of a 12-year-old.

At least 50 of the cases are pending in courts here, eight in Malaybalay and two in Surigao.

Two other girls allegedly abused by Scully said he forced them to dig their own graves.

“The children have been traumatized. We provided them therapy to help them prepare for a normal life,” Nestor Ramos, regional social welfare director, told AFP.

Australia’s foreign affairs department said it was providing consular assistance to Scully, but declined to elaborate citing “privacy obligations.” – With AFP