The Canberra Times
Aussie WHO medic held in Philippines for child trafficking
written/reported by AFP
Tuesday May 12, 2009 2:56:00 PM
An Australian World Health Organisation (WHO) doctor has been arrested in the Philippines on charges of child trafficking, officials said on Tuesday.
Officers acting on a tip-off found the half-naked 47-year-old man with a 12-year-old Filipino boy in a parked car in Manila's Makati financial district on Friday, a police statement said.
A Filipino who allegedly pimped the boy was also detained by the women and children's protection division of the national police along with the Australian, it added.
The WHO Western Pacific office here confirmed that the Australian suspect was its employee.
It said in a statement that the matter "involves the private life'' of its staff but that it would cooperate with the police.
It said the Australian "should be presumed innocent unless proven guilty''.
But it added: "Without pre-judging the case, WHO would like to put on record that it condemns in the strongest terms the sexual exploitation of children and will assist the authorities with their investigations.''
Police have asked state prosecutors to file criminal charges against the two suspects, the police statement said.
Sexual exploitation of a person below 18 years of age is punishable by life imprisonment and a fine of up to five million pesos ($138,997) under a law passed by the Philippines legislature in 2003.
Aussie WHO medic held in Philippines for child trafficking
written/reported by AFP
Tuesday May 12, 2009 2:56:00 PM
An Australian World Health Organisation (WHO) doctor has been arrested in the Philippines on charges of child trafficking, officials said on Tuesday.
Officers acting on a tip-off found the half-naked 47-year-old man with a 12-year-old Filipino boy in a parked car in Manila's Makati financial district on Friday, a police statement said.
A Filipino who allegedly pimped the boy was also detained by the women and children's protection division of the national police along with the Australian, it added.
The WHO Western Pacific office here confirmed that the Australian suspect was its employee.
It said in a statement that the matter "involves the private life'' of its staff but that it would cooperate with the police.
It said the Australian "should be presumed innocent unless proven guilty''.
But it added: "Without pre-judging the case, WHO would like to put on record that it condemns in the strongest terms the sexual exploitation of children and will assist the authorities with their investigations.''
Police have asked state prosecutors to file criminal charges against the two suspects, the police statement said.
Sexual exploitation of a person below 18 years of age is punishable by life imprisonment and a fine of up to five million pesos ($138,997) under a law passed by the Philippines legislature in 2003.
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