by Ador Vincent S. Mayol
Reporter
A 65-YEAR-OLD Australian man was arrested by National Bureau of Investigation agents for allegedly exploiting children inside his hotel room in Lapu-Lapu City.
Two girls aged 16 and 17, and a 24-year-old woman were rescued by the agents inside the room rented by Keith Robert Hutton.
Charges were filed yesterday against Hutton before the Lapu-Lapu City Prosecutors’ Office for violating the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse Act, Exploitation and Discrimination Act, the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, and the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009.
Since two of the victims were minors, the offense falls under qualified trafficking, a non-bailable case.
The recently signed Expanded Anti- Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 allows the identification of human trafficking offenders in the media.
DENIED
Hutton, in an interview, denied the accusations against him.
“We were not doing anything. We’re not having sex. I just want to help children because I’m concerned about them,” he told Cebu Daily News.
Hutton, who used to work as driver in Australia, expressed dismay over how suspects are treated in the country.
“This country is barbaric. I should be treated like a man. (But) I’m treated like a dog here,” he said referring to his detention at the NBI-7 stockade.
He vowed not to eat unless he will be brought back to Australia.
“I have not eaten since Saturday and I will not eat anything. I will commit suicide,” said Hutton who came to the Philippines last January to visit his girlfriend whom he has a two-month-old baby.
AUSTRALIAn FEDS
The NBI acted upon the request of the Australian Federal Police, who is investigating Hutton for an alleged child sex offense in Australia, said NBI Special Investigator Sixto Espenesia Jr.
Espenesia led the NBI team who barged into Hutton’s hotel room last Saturday.
A laptop computer, which was recovered from the hotel room, allegedly contained several lewd photos of children.
Hutton, however, said the laptop was owned by a friend.