Briton arrested with 2 ‘topless’ boys

CEBU, Philippines — A British national was arrested in Cebu City yesterday for allegedly recruiting young boys and taking them in to his condominium unit in a suspected case of trafficking, police said.

William Anthony Paul Becket, 61, was found in the company of two minor boys, aged 16 and 6, both topless inside his condo unit in Barangay Hipodromo.

According to Police Lieutenant Erlina Mayam, chief of the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) at the Cebu City Police Office, they received a report from a non-government organization regarding Becket’s alleged illegal activities of taking young boys into his condo unit.

Initial investigation revealed that Becket has stayed in the place since last year and has since allegedly brought in six minors.

During interrogation, Becket told the police that he was merely helping the children. In fact, he said he provided for their school and other needs.

Mayam said that the 16-year-old boy appeared fainting while the 6-year-old was shivering in fear when authorities swooped down on the foreigner.

They have been turned over to the office of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and will undergo stress debriefing.

Becket contended though that the boys’ visit to his condo was duly approved by their parents.

Among the items recovered from the suspect were a laptop, a personal computer, birth certificates of the children, parent’s consent, cellphones, tablets, among others.

Mayam revealed that Becket had been monitored for more than a year by the Women and Children Protection Center Visayas Field Unit 7 (WCPC), City Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB) and the WCPD of CCPO.

Becket will face charges for violation of RA 10364 or the Anti-Human Trafficking in Persons Act.

Police will also check if the parents of the minors have violated laws for allowing the children to meet the foreigner in his place.

Police could not yet categorically tell if Becket engaged in some immoral or illegal acts with the children but did not discount such possibility based on the reactions of the two boys during Becket’s arrest. (FREEMAN)