A court in Taguig City has issued a warrant of arrest against a Spanish national who has been accused of sexually abusing and recording on video the lewd act with a Filipino minor, who was the same victim in the sexual abuse case filed against former United States diplomat Dean Edward Cheves.
Justice Undersecretary Emmeline Aglipay-Villar on Wednesday revealed that the Taguig City RTC, Branch 15, Judge Byron San Pedro issued last August 31 a warrant of arrest against Spanish national Francisco Manuel Sanchez, 36, who uses the alias Franco Sanchez, for violation of Republic Act 7610, otherwise known as “Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act” and RA 9775 or Anti-Child Pornography Act.
The Taguig City court also granted the motion of the Department of Justice for the issuance of a Precautionary Hold Departure Order against Sanchez.
Citing information shared by the DOJ, the 16-year-old female victim met Sanchez on different dates in a span of three months from December last year until this February.
The victim encountered Sanchez online and they first met on Dec. 14, 2020 where he picked her up in Pasay City and brought her to his place in Taguig City where they allegedly used illegal drugs and had sexual intercourse.
There was one instance when he and a certain “Sam” reportedly used sex toys on her. While in another meeting it was mentioned that Sanchez allegedly recorded the victim’s separate sexual act with him and a certain “Gill”.
Aside from Sanchez, it was earlier reported that the minor was also allegedly sexually abused by a former US diplomat 61-year-old Cheves that led to the issuance of a warrant of arrest against him by Pasay City RTC Branch 109 Judge Christian Castañeda last Aug. 25. The court recommended P200,000 bail for each case against Cheves.
However, Cheves had already returned to the US last March where a case has been filed against him before a District Court in Virginia, US for his conduct in the Philippines
The DOJ is considering seeking the extradition of Cheves to subject
him to the jurisdiction of the Philippine court and face the charges.
