Canadian denies wrongdoing, accuses woman of blackmail

A CANDIAN expatriate is accusing a woman of extorting money from him by filing a case against him.

John David Aubin, 66, visited on Thursday Cebu Daily News to air his side on the issue after reading the paper’s report “Canadian nabbed for ‘offensive e-mail’” published on Dec. 10.

Aubin was arrested by operatives of the Mandaue City last Dec. 8 in barangay Camputhaw, Cebu City for alleged violation of Republic Act 9262 or the Violence Against Women and Children.

An arrest warrant was issued against Aubin by Regional Trial Court Judge Teresita Abarquez-Galanida of Branch 56.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said she and Aubin had a relationship which lasted for two years, a claim that the Canadian denied.

“She was not my girlfriend,” said Aubin.

He said he came to know the woman when she offered to help him in his previous estafa case against an American national.

“She pretended to know everybody and that she could help me,” said Aubin.

The woman, who has three children from a previous relationship, said she decided to file a case against Aubin when the man allegedly sent her obscene e-mail messages.

The woman said she was embarrassed since the e-mail was allegedly also sent to her former co-workers.

Aubin said the woman just made up the e-mail messages to use them against him.

“Im not a pervert, and Im not a bad person. I don’t have any record,” he said.

Aubin said while he was detained, he received a text message from the woman asking for P24,000 bail money in exchange for the dropping of the case.

“It was a form of extortion and blackmail,” he said.

Aubin said he is still waiting for his lawyer on what to do next./ Correspondent Joy Cherry S. Quito