Kiwi, 2 others nabbed for 'detaining' minors

A NEW Zealander is facing serious illegal detention charges for allegedly taking two minors and detaining them inside his residence, a maritime police official said on Thursday, September 14.

Based on a copy of the passport provided by authorities, the foreigner was identified as Kane Andrews, 67, from New Zealand.

Arrested along with Andrews were two Filipino women who are also being charged with the same offense.

Chief Inspector Pedro Gorre Jr., commander of the 1001st Maritime Police Station (Marpsta) based in Barangay Macabalan, said the complaints against Andrews and his companions had already been filed at a family court on Wednesday, September 13.

The suspects, according to the City Prosecutor’s Office “willfully, unlawfully, feloniously and knowingly kidnap, detain and deprived the liberty” of two children, aged 4 and 6.

Gorre said Andrews was arrested based on the testimony of “Annie” (not her real name) who came to their office to ask for certification so she could board a boat for Negros Oriental.

In her social media account, Annie puts her address as Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.

Gorre said Annie has no identification card with her prompting her to request for a certification from the Marpsta on Monday, September 11.

Annie was with her “niece” and claimed she is the girl’s guardian.

When pressed further, Annie admitted that she was trying to escape from Andrews’ home in a housing subdivision in uptown Cagayan de Oro because she could no longer bear living with the suspect and his Filipino wife.

She told investigators she got out of the house last Saturday morning, September 9. She then stayed at a friend’s boarding house before going to the Marpsta.

She said she first met Andrews in an online dating site and formed a romantic relationship with him.

Annie said Andrews came to the country to meet her sometime in 2015 while she was still in Bayawan.

They then moved to this city where they rented a house before Andrews bought a housing unit in a posh subdivision.

While they were living in, she said Andrews has another relationship with “Lisa” (not her real name). And instead of tying the knot with Annie, the New Zealander actually got married to Lisa.

Annie said Lisa and her were living together with the suspect where he would take turns in going to bed with the two women.

The suspect, she added, also asked her to go back home to Negros Oriental to look for children he can adopt.

Annie brought with her the four-year-old “Nene,” and “Rain,” aged 6. These are not their real names.

According to investigators, the children were kept inside the house and it was alleged that the male suspect took photos of them and send them to other men online.

Gorre said more complaints may be filed against the suspects as they probe deeper into the life of Andrews and the involvement of Annie and Lisa.

The minors are now under the protective custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Andrews or his legal counsel has yet to issue a statement to the media as of this writing.

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