Summary:
National Bureau of Investigation Regional Office 7 operatives arrested a foreign national inside a Cebu City condominium unit on May 24, 2026, for suspected child abuse.
The suspect was caught in flagrante delicto alone with two male minors, aged 10 and 15, who were subsequently rescued and turned over to DSWD 7 custody.
The suspect faces charges for violating RA 7610, while NBI 7 Supervising Agent Wenceslao Galendez Jr. confirmed that authorities are investigating how the children contacted the foreigner.
OPERATIVES of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Office 7 arrested a foreign national in Cebu City after catching him inside a condominium unit with two male minors during a law enforcement operation.
According to authorities, the operation stemmed from information received through the Trafficking in Persons Helpline of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7.
NBI operatives carried out the operation on May 24, 2026, at around 8:30 p.m., and caught the foreigner in the company of two male minors aged 10 and 15 alone.
“The said foreigner was caught in flagrante delicto, where he had, in his company, two male minors, ages 10 and 15 years old,” NBI 7 said. “The foreigner is not related by consanguinity or affinity to these children, and there was no other accompanying adult at the time of his arrest.”
The two minors were rescued by authorities and turned over to the custody of DSWD 7 for proper care and intervention.
The suspect has undergone inquest proceedings for violations of Section 6 and Section 10(b) of Republic Act (RA) 7610, also known as the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act.”
NBI 7 Supervising Agent and Executive Officer for Operations Wenceslao Galendez Jr., in a message to SunStar Cebu, said a case has been filed against the suspect.
Galendez said the suspect is being held at the NBI 7 headquarters while awaiting the filing of formal information from the Prosecutor’s Office.
He added that authorities are still investigating how the children came into contact with the foreign national and whether sexual abuse was involved. / DPC