■ POLISH NATIONAL'S TRIP TO THE ALTAR ENDS UP BEING A TRIP TO A PRISON CELL

Miroslaw Roman Nieczaja, a 59-year-old Polish national, came to Cebu to marry the woman of his dreams. That dream, however, quickly became a nightmare when he and his bride-to-be Stephanie (real name withheld) were detained upon arrival at the Hagnaya wharf in the northern town of San Remigio. It turned out that Stephanie is a minor, a fact she admitted to personnel of the Anti-Trafficking Help Desk. As a result, Nieczaja, her lover, was arrested and was charged with child abuse (RA 7610) and human trafficking (RA 10384). Stephanie, a native of San Carlos City, said she met the foreigner on Facebook last year. She lied about her age to earn his affection.

Stephanie (real name withheld) made her 59-year-old Polish boyfriend believe she is 18, to earn his affection.

This lie, however, backfired when they arrived in Hagnaya wharf in San Remigio town, northern Cebu last Tuesday afternoon.

Stephanie, an 11th grader, admitted to the personnel of the Anti-Trafficking Help Desk that she is still 17 years old.

Her lover, Miroslaw Roman Nieczaja, was arrested.

Senior Insp. Audie Pelayo, San Remigio police chief, said they filed complaints against the foreigner yesterday for child abuse (Republic Act 7610) and allegedly violating RA 10384, or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.

“They are in a relationship but the foreigner will still face complaints because the girl is a minor,” said Pelayo.

Stephanie, a native of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, told police investigators that she met the foreigner on Facebook last year. They eventually became lovers.