Austrian, Pinay mate arrested for ‘human trafficking’

CEBU, Philippines -A 60-year-old Austrian man and his Filipina live-in partner were arrested Friday morning over complaint for qualified trafficking in person.

Erwin Welhelm Gunther Matha and his partner Waryn Leguin, 37, were collared at their home in Florvel Subdivision, Barangay Buray in Oton town of Iloilo by operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group–Iloilo.

The arrest was conducted by virtue of a court warrant against them for alleged violation of Republic Act 9208, as amended by RA 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.

Senior Superintendent Peter Naboye, CIDG-6 regional director, said the couple were charged with four counts of violation of RA 10364, docketed under Criminal Case No. 15-76724 to 15-76727.

Naboye did not elaborate more on the case against Matha and Leguin, but said it was the Iloilo Police’s  Children and Women’s Desk which investigated and filed the charges against the suspects.

Other information however said two of Matha’s former girlfriends stood as complainants. —Jennifer P. Rendon (FREEMAN)