Australian pedophile, 6 others indicted for sexual abuse

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Justice (DOJ) has recommended the filing of criminal charges against Australian pedophile Peter Gerard Scully and 6 others involved in the sexual abuse and exploitation of 9 children hailing from various provinces in Mindanao. 

In a 151-page resolution, the DOJ said it found probable cause to indict Scully, his former live-in partner Liezyl Margallo, German national Christian Johann Rothe, Alexander Lao, Ma. Dorothea Chia, Haniel De Oliveira, and Marshal Ruskin.

They face the following charges:

• 13 counts of rape
• 6 counts of qualified trafficking in persons by a syndicate
• 2 counts of qualified trafficking
• 5 counts of syndicated child pornography
• 9 counts of child abuse in relation to cybercrime
• 5 counts of indecent shows, obscene exhibitions, and publications under the Revised Penal Code
• 4 counts of child pornography in relation to cybercrime

The case stemmed from a complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation Anti-Human Trafficking Division (NBI-AHTRAD) following Scully’s arrest in February 2015.

The Australian national was arrested in Bukidnon in 2015, following a tip from the Dutch government that Scully was broadcasting videos of child abuse and sexual exploitation to his clients in Europe. (READ: 13-year-old girl: ‘Uncle Peter’ Scully sold me for P100,000)

Based on the preliminary investigation conducted by Assistant State Prosecutor Jinky Dedumo, the respondents were members of a syndicate engaging in cybersex operations, using children below 12 years old – including a one-year-old. 

According to testimonies of 45 witnesses, the sexual abuses were filmed and uploaded on exclusive pornography websites, with payments collected from the viewers through money transfer.

The incidents took place from April 2011 to September 2014.

“Margallo and Scully would photograph and/or film or take videos of said minors while being naked and while performing sexual acts either by themselves, or with other children and/or with Scully and/or Margallo,” the DOJ said.

“In sum, ruthless pedophiles and sexual predators Scully and Margallo, with the aid of and/or in conspiracy with other respondents, availed a scheme of design, under the guise of adopting the minor victims, including the 18-month-old, with the promise of supposedly taking good care of them, feeding them and sending them to school. Instead, the said little ones were exploited, abused and molested,” it added.

The DOJ also said that a separate charge of murder for the death of a victim found buried in a house in Surigao City was considered absorbed in the charge of qualified trafficking in persons. – Rappler.com