Danish nat’l arrested with minor faces raps
Criminal complaints were filed yesterday against a Danish national who was arrested in the company of a minor at a resort in Barangay Estaca, Compostela last Wednesday.
Senior Inspector Junafe Vergara, Compostela Police Station chief, filed the complaints for violations of Republic Act 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act and RA 7610 or child abuse against Josef Bertelsen before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
Bertelsen, 66, a native of Silkeborg, Denmark, was arrested after the resort management reported to the police that he was in the company of a minor.
Resorts and hotels are mandated under the law to report any person, especially foreigners checking in with minor.
Vergara said they received information from the resort that a foreigner checked-in with a minor, prompting them to act o it.
The police rescued the 17-yearold girl native of Barangay Lamac, Sibonga, Cebu. The girl as accompanied by her 19-year-old sister.
The minor allegedly admitted that she was in a relationship with the suspect whom she met in an online dating site. She and Bertelsen agreed to meet at a mall in Cebu City. Bertelsen then invited them to go to a resort for a swim.
Meanwhile, the Cebu City Police Office is beefing up its capability against cyber pornography in compliance with the order of President Rodrigo Duterte.
CCPO director Senior Superintendent Joel Doria said that all police stations have functional Women and Children Protection Desk.
“Although we have to train other personnel to equip them to have more knowledge during the operation but I think ready naman ang ating kapulisan pagdating diyan, iyun naman ang trabaho namin,” said Doria.
He admitted receiving reports of cyberporn cases in the city but it is not that much compared to the other areas where there are plenty of foreigners and tourists.
“Ang problema kasi diyan minsan makita mo like previous reports na doon sa private na mga bahay may mga computers sila, webcam tapos magulang mismo ang involved,” Doria said.