AUTHORITIES have charged a freelance photographer for allegedly molesting graduating kindergarten pupils inside a private school in Barangay Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City.
Police identified the suspect as 47-year-old Wilfredo Ape, a resident of Barangay Upper Carmen, this city.
The Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) of Police Station 4 has recorded six complaints from the victims' parents.
Two cases have already been elevated in court.
Senior Police Officer 3 (SPO3) Zona Fabria, WCPD officer, said the incident happened during the graduation pictorial last April 12.
Fabria said the suspect alleged touched the genitals of several five-year-old pupils while assisting the school's official photographer.
"Gi-hire siya sa official photographer kay nagsakit man to iyang assistant. Iyang gibuhat is ginahilam niya ang private part sa mga bata while ga-fix sa ilang toga (He was hired by the school's official photographer. He was touching the private organ of the victims while supposedly helping fix their toga),"Fabria said.
Fabria said one of the victim told her sister about the incident the following day who, in turn, contacted other parents.
Fabria said the photographer apparently had time alone with the victims as the parents and guardians were not allowed to attend to their children’s needs inside the room.
"Wala gipasulod ang mga parents kay naa man daw mga teachers mag assist sa sulod pero ang nahitabo isa ra ka teacher ang ga-assist diay sa sulod (Guardians weren't allowed to get inside the room because they were told that there were teachers assisting the pictorial but only to find out that there was only one teacher inside)," she added.
"Ang uban victims nakuhaan na namo og affidavit para sa complaints nga i-file sa korte (We already secured affidavits of the other victims that we’re going to file next week)," she added.
Fabria said the suspect turned himself in to authorities.
The suspect has been charged with violation of Republic Act 7610 (Act Providing Stronger Deterrence and Special Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination, and For Other Purposes).
Fabria said the suspect, who was committed to the city jail in Barangay Lumbia this week, can post bail of P80,000 and P200,000 for the two cases.