A Report on the Sexual abuse of Children in Puerto Galera
Oriental Mindoro, Philippines
On January 13, Mrs.
Florentina Garcia a grade school teacher noticed irregular behaviour
from one of her students and requested that the child be interviewed by
the school principal, Emelie de los Reyes. During the interview, the
girl disclosed that she and a friend had been sleeping with Paul Jeffrey
Anderson who is known to them as “PJ” and described their experiences in
detail, the sexual acts of oral sex, penetration and fingering.
The following day, January
14, the principal reported to the Municipal Social Welfare Office what
she discovered. Suspects Rainer Fahrenhorst, 61, German, with address at
Marenbadard, Berlin, Germany and Paul Jeffery Anderson, 55, American
with address at Enola, Pennsylvania, USA, both of whom are temporarily
residing at Barangay San Isidro, Puerto Galera, were arrested the
following day by local police accompanied by social workers. During the
arrest, police rescued three children and recovered video camera and
personal computer containing pornographic files, videos with the accused
and the children in it, and different kinds of vibrators. The victims
were aged 8 to eleven years old.
Due to inaction of the
local police in filing the case in court, the municipal social welfare
office referred the case to the National Bureau of Investigation-
Calapan District Office. One of the children submitted her affidavit on
January 16, and the other on January 19. Mrs. Emelie de los Reyes also
submitted an affidavit on January 22.
Parents of the children
are accomplices to their abuse in her affidavit, the 11-year old girl
revealed that she was adopted by Paul “PJ” Anderson in exchange for the
renovation of her parent's house, money and a pig for her brother
Jayson. She also disclosed that it was Monica the daughter of Anderson
who invited her to sleep in their house. She was abused almost daily by
Anderson for more than a year. She had told her mother that she does not
want to sleep in Anderson's house but her mother threatened to beat her
if she does not sleep with Anderson who gives her money after every
incident of abuse.
The eight-year old said
she was abused three times each by Paul Jeffery Anderson, Rainer
Farenhorst, and one who is known to her only by the name of John. The
acts of abuse were recorded on video. She received P150 from Farenhorst
for every incident of abuse, and another P100 each from Anderson and
John.
A separate incident of
abuse was discovered January 27 when a Grade 2 pupil revealed to social
workers that Reinhard Havecost had been sexually abusing her and other
scholars who he was supporting in school. Havecost fled after learning
that a complaint has been levelled against him. A hold departure order
has been issued against him.
On February 4, Mario Minor
chief of the regional NBI submitted to the provincial prosecutor the
results of their investigation of Paul Jeffery anderson, Ranier
Farenhorst and John. Joanne Laarni Maniebo, municipal social worker was
the official complainant on behalf of the eight year old.
Non-cooperation by the police
On February 5, NBI
Regional Chief Mario Minor wrote to PNP Provincial Dirrector Voltaire
Calzado and requested the turn over of vital evidences from the PNP to
the NBI. The chief of police refused to turn over the evidence to the
NBI and said that he is willing to submit it to the prosecutor (reported
by Judge Lilia Lopez during a meeting with local officials in Puerto
Galera, February 12).
From February 12 to 13, a
team composed of PREDA social worker Mary David and representatives from
Council for the Welfare of Children, Ecpat, Center for Prevention and
Treatment of Sexually Abused Children (CPTSC) and Judge Lilia Lopez went
to Puerto Galera and met with the mayor and local officials to give
assistance and to offer their services. In this meeting, the mayor
pledged to rescue the rest of the victims. Each sector's representatives
also expressed dismay and concern on how the case was mishandled and why
local officials seem to be more concerned in protecting the island's
tourism industry. The DSWD also revealed that there are more children
victimized by the foreign abusers but they refuse to be interviewed
because of the connivance of their parents with the abusers.
On February 24, PREDA
wrote to DSWD Director Thelsa Biolena and requested to visit the three
children rescued that are now housed at the Bahay Tuluyan Center in
Cavite to confirm the details of the crime against them by Paul Jeffery
Anderson that will meet the rule of evidence in a US court of law. The
request was granted on March 3. PREDA Social Worker Mary David went to
Cavite on March 10 with three children from PREDA and interviewed the
three children rescued in the presence of a female NBI officer and an
investigator from the US Embassy. During the interview, the children
described their experiences in detail. It was also learned that many
other children, at least 25, are victims of the foreign sex tourist.
PREDA offers to take
protective custody of the victims On March 5, PREDA wrote to DSWD Asst.
Regional Director Wilma Naviamos and offered to take the children into
protective custody for treatment and protection. In the letter, Fr. Shay
said that “the objection or non-cooperation of the parents is reason all
the more to take custody of the children as the parents are sometimes
receiving money for allowing their children to go with foreign
pedophiles.” The best interest of the child must prevail lest the abuse
continue.
On March 15, PREDA
informed DSWD Director Thelsa Biolena of the result of the interview
conducted last March 10, including the names of children allegedly
abused by the sex tourist. It also appealed to the DSWD to send more
experienced social workers to Puerto Galera to contact the other victims
and take them into care and custody of the DSWD. PREDA also offered its
services, including therapy, protective custody and legal assistance
with the permission and endorsement of the DSWD and said that it is
willing to go back to Cavite to conduct further interview with the
children.
Sloppy prosecution
On the same day, PREDA
also wrote to DOJ Undersecretary Gutierrez and requested explanation why
bail was not opposed by Prosecutor Dorina Joya and why evidence of the
two minors under 12 was not used by the prosecutor.
From March 16 to 23, PREDA
social worker Mary David made daily phone calls to the office of
Director Biolena but was told repeatedly that the director is out of the
office.
On March 18, a news
article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer said that Rainier Fahrenhorst
has committed suicide in the evening of March 15 in his rented house in
Barangay San Isidro, Puerto Galera by taking an overdose of his medicine
Rophynol 1. He told his caretaker that he was ending his life and that
his body be burned. He had previously paid bail amounting to P200,000.
According to RTC Branch 40 Judge Tomas Leynes, bail was granted despite
of the charge being rape since there was no sexual intercourse. The
prosecutor also recommended bail after Fahrenhorst's lawyer filed a
motion to fix bail.
Last March 27, the
Philippine Daily Inquirer reported that at least ten girls have filed
charges against Reinhard Havikost before the Office of the City
Prosecutor in Calapan. He remains at large.
Offer to help refused
It was only in the
afternoon of March 23 after it has been reported to Undersecretary
Lourdes Balanon that PREDA has yet to receive a response from the DSWD
Field Office that PREDA received a letter from the DSWD Regional Office
signed by Arnel B. Garcia, OIC and Director III.
In said letter, Mr. Garcia
said that Mrs. Annie Mendoza, Social Welfare Officer IV went to Puerto
Galera March 22 and will stay until March 24 “to provide technical
assistance to the local social welfare office, to personally investigate
the cases of the suspected paedophile victims, follow up the status of
the cases filed in court and to help rescue the other identified
victims.” She will also participate in the advocacy campaign in Puerto
Galera in celebration of the Protection and Gender-Fair Treatment of the
Girl Child Week initiated by the Sub-Task Force on the Girl Child.
As regards the minors in
Bahay Tuluyan in Cavite, Mr. Garcia said that they “strongly refused
being interviewed telling that they do not want anymore to recall their
sad experience in the hands of the perpetrators.” This contradicts the
report of the social worker in charge of the children, mentioned by Mr.
Garcia in his letter, who said that “they are showing positive
progress.”
As for PREDA's offer to
take the children into protective custody, it merely said, “We
appreciate your offer for assistance.”
On April 5, PREDA
reiterated its offer to extend its services to the children by writing
to Undersecretary Balanon. It also informed the undersecretary that
PREDA and the NGO community are closely monitoring the cases of the
suspected paedophiles in Puerto Galera.
As of April 14 three
months after the abuse was discovered, only three children have been
rescued. Only two were helped to give a statement that would be used in
court.
PREDA demands fearless, decisive action to rescue the children
PREDA calls for a deeper investigation of the paedophile syndicate in Puerto Galera, 05 April 2004
PREDA's offer to extend services to the children refused
Bail granted to suspect Rainer Fahrenhorst
PREDA requests to interview the three children in Bahay Tuluyan, Cavite
PREDA Letter to Undersecretary Lourdes Balanon - 19 February 2004
PREDA offers assistance to Puerto Galera's Municipal Social Welfare Office
