Minors in gov’t care; Swiss clams up

The two minors rescued from a beach house rented in Sta. Fe town in Bantayan Island by a 66-year-old Swiss national are now in the custody of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development office.

Cebu Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale told Cebu Daily News that the two boys aged 14 and 17 are now temporarily sheltered in a government institution where they will undergo psychosocial interventions and for the Children’s Legal Bureau (CLB) to take their separate affidavits.

“Ato sila gidala diri sa city para makuhaan sila og affidavit (We brought them here in the city so they can execute their affidavits) … We still have to determine if their parents had given consent,” Magpale told CDN.

Walter Hauck, 66, was arrested in a joint operation by the CLB, National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Provincial Women’s Commission (PWC)last Saturday. He may be charged for violating Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.

Hauck who is now detained at the NBI-7 jail refused to grant CDN an interview yesterday.

“I do not want to talk anymore. I have already spoken once, and I think it is enough. Can you just leave? I just want to sleep now,” Hauck told CDN.

In an earlier interview with Alan Domingo, reporter of GMA’s 24 Oras Central Visayas, Hauck said that he did not have any idea why he was arrested. He admitted that young boys would occasionally visit him in his rest house but no malicious acts have been committed on them.

The raiding team found sex toys and pornographic materials during their search on the rented house of the foreigner.

Hauck, who has been in the country for two years, is a retiree from Switzerland.

The raid stemmed from a search warrant issued last Friday by Judge Antonio Marigomen of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 61 in Bogo City.

 

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