AN American national and retired US Navy officer is facing complaints before the Bogo City Prosecutor’s Office for allegedly bringing two girls to a beach resort in Barangay Talisay, Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island last week.
Jason Anderson Stone, 41, of Oregon, was arrested last May 17 by the Sta. Fe police after they received a call from the resort’s staff around 10:30 a.m. that the foreigner was allegedly checking in with two minors.
Elena Montecillo of the Sta. Fe Police Station said complaints for violations of Republic Act (RA) 10364, or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012 and RA 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act was filed against Stone.
Senior Police Officer 2 Sheila Ilustrisimo of the Sta. Fe Women and Children’s Protection Desk said their team caught Stone with two girls aged 16 and 14 who were reportedly residents of Barangay Maño, San Remegio.
Police said the two were siblings and met Stone on Facebook.
Stone, in his earlier defense, said that he had no bad intention when he brought the girls to the resort.
He claimed that he had no knowledge of the laws pertaining to child abuse and trafficking in the country.
The minors claimed that they were not abused by Stone, Ilustrisimo said.
Stone arrived in the Philippines last May 12 and stayed in a resort in San Remegio before going to Sta. Fe.