Retiree nabbed in Bogo

American, 69, arrested for paying minors to have sex;  Teenage victim said she needed money ‘for school supplies’

American pensioner Harold Glover is brought by Bogo City police to the office of Cebu Gov. Hilario Davide III and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale a day after his arrest in his rented house in Bogo City. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

For five years, 69-year-old Harold Glover has been  renting a house in Bogo city, north Cebu.

The American retiree was arrested on Wednesday evening  by police who surprised him in his bedroom with his pants down in front of two underage girls.

Glover, a pensioner from Georgia, USA, had been under surveillance for months following reports that he would invite  young girls to his  rented unit in Solid Homes Subdivision in barangay Taytayan house and pay them to have sex.

A 16-year-old informant  told child rights advocates she went to Glover because she needed money to buy school supplies.

Glover is the fourth foreigner arrested in Bogo City this year for taking advantage of minors.

Police said they would file charges of anti-trafficking and violation of a special law on child abuse against the American.

“According to neighbors, they have seen many minors coming in and out of his home in the past years,” said Chief Insp. Richard Oliver, Bogo City police chief.

Police, who served a search warrant,  recovered condoms, cellphones, CDs and performance enhancing drugs from the house.

The two rescued girls were placed in the custody of the Cebu provincial government and taken to an undisclosed child care facility.

Bogo city police yesterday brought Glover to the Capitol where they presented him to  Gov. Hilario Davide III and Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale.

Davide  is chairman of the Provincial Women’s Commission (PWC) and the Provincial Council for the Welfare of Children (PCWC).   Magpale is the co-chairperson.

A representative of the United States Homeland Security was also present.

In need of money’

In a press conference, lawyer Noemi Truya of the Children’s Legal Bureau (CLB), said Glover has a Filipina contact who would look for teenage girls for him.

The Filipina pimp, who got a cut from each transaction, is now in hiding.

Glover allegedly paid P1,800 to the girls for sex and P700 to P800 to touch their privates.

“He would feed them before using them, and then send them home,” the lawyer explained.

The police operation took place after a previous victim stepped forward and talked to the CLB last week.

The girl, 16, said she needed money to buy school supplies.

During the one-hour press conference, Glover sat stone-faced and silent with a slight frown.

He wore a  gray shirt, denim pants, and white rubber shoes. Reporters asked  him later what he had to say about the allegations.

He said he “did not want to answer.”

Truya said  the presence of a US Homeland Security official  was only coincidental.

She said the official had another appointment and only dropped by to check on Glover when he learned of the arrest.

The same official  informed Truya and other members of the PWC and PCWC that Glover was once convicted of armed robbery in the US some 30 years ago.

Truya said the US Embassy had probably already been informed of the arrest.

As of last night, no lawyer for Glover was identified yet.

Truya said that she was saddened that children were  exposed and vulnerable to pedators .

“Poverty has led them to resort to these means in order to buy, what, school supplies,” said Truya.

With school opening this month, Truya said there could have been more victims, if Glover had not been arrested.

“This had to stop before more would be victimized,” she said.

The  16-year-old informant told CLB that at least 10 of her friends were also abused by the foreigner.

Truya said that CLB got initial reports about a “black guy” exploiting minors in the area, but his nationality and identity were still unverified at that time.

It was only last May 16, after months of placing Glover under surveillance, that they were able to get his name.

The rescued girls will undergo medical and psychological intervention.

CLB urged Glover’s other victims to come out and press charges against him.

It also reminded parents to keep an eye on their children especially that classes have already started.

“The need for money to buy school supplies is at its height, making children vulnerable to sexual predators and human traffickers like Glover and his Filipina cohort,” CLB said in a press release.

Acceptance

Such abuse has been going on in the area, said Truya, indicating that the community may have already accepted this trend as a “fact.”

“Perhaps they thought it was okay, that it’s a legitimate business. But it’s not. And it’s not okay,” said Truya.

With an information campaign on anti-human trafficking and apprehensions like the arrest of Glover, she said they hope the abuse of children will stop altogether.

Truya said that CLB will look into the immigration status of Glover.

He has been continuously staying in the country for 10 years already based on initial reports.

“We will check if there is a case of overstaying,” she said.

Glover was employed as a security officer before he retired.

One of the cellphones recovered from Glover had two videos showing him and unidentified persons having sex.

Truya said that she would like to commend the city police for “doing something” and taking action  against foreigners exploiting local youths.

In February this year, a Filipina was arrested for pimping her 14-year old daughter to her Australian boyfriend.

Four minors were rescued from the company of a Canadian national last April.

In May, another Australian national was arrested for alleged human trafficking as well. All these arrests were made in Bogo City.

The lawyer explained that minors, especially in disaster-hit areas, become vulnerable to human trafficking all the more.

Bogo City was among the hardest hit when supertyphoon Yolanda battered Cebu in November 2013.

Bogo City police was granted a search warrant  by Judge Jerry Dicdican of the Regional Trial Court Branch 25 of Danao city.

Eight  police personnel with members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) group served the warrant.

Glover initially tried to resist arrest but soon gave in realizing he was outnumbered.

Bogo City Mayor Celestino “Junie” Martinez Jr. was not immediately available for comment on this latest arrest.

In previous reports, the mayor said the arrests of foreign nationals reflect a positive response from the community and more awareness about human trafficking.

“In my opinion, this shows that the police is really working, in cooperation with our social welfare office,” said Bogo City Mayor Santiago Sevilla in a phone interview.

Glover will be detained at the Bogo city jail until an inquest proceeding is held at the prosecutor’s office where charges will be filed.

The suspect will be charged for violating Republic Act 9208 or the Anti Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003, Republic Act 7610 or the Protection Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination, and Republic Act 9775 or the Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009.