Australian man accused of abusing

children in Philippines
July 8, 2014

Lindsay Murdoch
South-East Asia correspondent for Fairfax Media

A second Australian man has been charged over the alleged sexual abuse of
children on the Philippine island of Cebu which has been identified as a centre for
international paedophile rings.
Eleven girls and four boys aged eight to 15 were taken into the care of social
workers after the arrest of Peter James Robinson, 51, of Manila, at a Cebu beach
resort, police said.
Authorities in Cebu have vowed to stamp out the abuse of children after the
discovery of several paedophile operations in the area, including one that streamed
live child abuse over the internet to suspects in 14 countries, including Australia.
Mr Robinson, an engineer, denies any wrongdoing, telling reporters in Cebu he had
been living in Manila for two years and was making his fourth visit to the island for a
holiday. "I came to Cebu to swim, drink, eat etc this is the first time I have been
arrested. I am confused. I feel outnumbered because I am a foreigner," he said.
Police said a USB containing several photographs of nude children and adults was
allegedly recovered from Mr Robinson, who has been charged with trafficking and
child pornography and has been refused bail.
Police senior inspector Alexander Nunez said the adults are believed to be the
mothers of the children who were allegedly found at the resort where Mr Robinson
had been staying. He said any identified adults would also face charges.
In July last year Hilton Reece Munro, 45, was charged over the alleged sex abuse of
four Cebu boys as young as nine. Mr Munro, who denies the allegations, remains in
jail awaiting trial.
Police allege that affidavits by some of the children who were allegedly at Mr
Robinson's hotel described how they were taken to his room in batches, molested
and videotaped between June 21 and June 22.
Mr Robinson's lawyer Ferdinand Dungog said he will question the legality of the
arrest. "There was no crime committed," he said.
Under Philippine law any person found alone in the company of an unrelated child
under 12 can be arrested and jailed for up to four years.