By: Camcer Ordonez Imam
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A 67-year-old New Zealand citizen and two Filipino women were charged with serious illegal detention for allegedly detaining two children inside a residence, here.
Authorities identified the foreigner as Kane Andrews who came to the Philippines for a meet-up with a Filipino woman.
His alleged accomplices are also facing the same charges.
Chief Inspector Pedro Gorre Jr., commander of the 1001st Maritime Police Station (Marpsta) based in Barangay Macabalan, here, said the complaints against Andrews and his companions have been filed at a family court on Wednesday, Sept. 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 “Ann” (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, Ann puts her address as Bayawan City, Negros Oriental.
Gorre said Ann has no identification card, prompting her to request for a certification from the Marpsta last Monday, Sept. 11.
Ann was with a young girl, whom she claimed as her niece and she acted as the minor’s guardian.
When pressed further, Ann 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 early Saturday, Sept. 9, and stayed at a friend’s boarding house before going to the Marpsta.
Ann first met Andrews in an online dating site and formed a romantic relationship with him.
While they were living in, Andrews engaged in another relationship with “Lina” (not her real name). Instead of tying the knot with her, the New Zealander married Lina, Ann said.
Ann said she and Lina were living together with the suspect who 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.
