MANILA, Philippines--A man accused of child molestation in Australia was arrested in his house in Quezon City by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) following a request for his extradition made by Australian authorities.

The suspect, Gary Zabat Guban, was apprehended last week by virtue of warrant of arrest for extradition case heard by Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 32. No bail was recommended for his provisional liberty.

Lawyer Claro de Castro Jr., chief of the NBI Interpol Division, said Guban is facing criminal charges in the court of the Justice of the Peace, New South Wales (NSW), Australia, for violating the Crimes Act 1900, including four counts of sexual intercourse with a child between 10 and 16 years old, one count of aggravated indecent assault on a child under 10 years old and one count of aggravated indecent assault on a child under 16 years old.

Records showed that the victim is the cousin of Guban, who lived with the latter’s family in New South Wales from November 1997 to May 1998.

On May 17, 1998, Guban, apparently drunk, had sexual intercourse with the victim. The incident was reported to the police the following day.

Guban was arrested by the New South Wales Police three days later.

With consent

During interrogation, he admitted that he had sex with the victim but claimed it was with the latter’s consent.

The victim told authorities that the suspect had been molesting her since she was 7 years old until she was 12.

The Children’s Hospital in New South Wales, Australia issued a report that the victim even contracted a sexually transmitted disease.

On June 28, 1998, the respondent was bailed out on condition to appear at Penrith Local Court. His passport was seized as a condition of his bail.
New South Wales authorities also notified the Department of Immigration of the respondent’s arrest and advised the agency that Guban had illegally entered Australia under the name of Ariston Zabat.

On August 27, 1998, the respondent was taken in custody by immigration officials for using the name Ariston Zabat and was subsequently deported to the Philippines on Oct. 28, 1998, without the knowledge of the New South Wales Police. As a result, he failed to attend the court hearings in Australia.

An extradition case was filed at the Manila court which ordered the NBI to arrest the respondent.

Guban, who is engaged in the printing business, was arrested at his rented house in Novaliches, Quezon City, by NBI agents who posed as clients.