Americanpleads notguilty to child abuse

CEBU, Philippines - An American boxing promoter charged with child abuse late 2009 has pleaded not guilty to the accusations against him yesterday before the Regional Trial Court.

Perry McNeely, 68, made his plea in the sala of judge Ester Veloso of Branch 6.

McNeely and his companions Michael Lopez and Andre Breeding were charged with child abuse last year for allegedly having a 14-year-old minor with them in a hotel room in Barangay Lahug.

Policemen came to arrest them after receiving a tip they were there with a minor.

McNeely was also charged with rape and trafficking of minors but these charges were already dismissed while his two companions immediately posted a bail of P24,000 for the child abuse case.

Although the accused stressed that they did not do anything inside the hotel, the police pointed out that there was still a violation of Republic Act 7610 or known as the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.”

The law points out that “when any person who, not being a relative of a child, is found alone with the said child inside the room or cubicle of a house, an inn, hotel, motel, pension house, apartelle or other similar establishments, vessel, vehicle or any other hidden or secluded area under circumstances which would lead a reasonable person to believe that the child is about to be exploited in prostitution and other sexual abuse.”

McNeely, who is married to a Filipina, has denied the charges and said that the minor voluntarily went with him to the hotel but the minor victim alleged that she was raped by McNeely.

The victim also said that the accused took nude photos of her while forcing her to have sex with him.

Investigating police officers said that they found pictures of nude women, including the 14-year-old, stored in McNeely’s phone.McNeely and his companions refused to answer this claim.— AJ de la Torre/BRP (FREEMAN NEWS)