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AN American accused of keeping seven minors in his home in Madridejos town, Cebu was released from jail for lack of evidence.
The Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office yesterday dismissed the child abuse charges filed against American Gary Lee Rohn on the ground that the raid done by Madridejos police on his home and his warrantless arrest were not backed by evidence.
Cebu Assistant Provincial Prosecutor Jose Edwin Renegado said the police admitted they received the information from their civilian asset who was absent from the raid.
“By their admission, they don't have personal knowledge of what was happening inside (Rohn's) house,” he said.
He said any evidence obtained during the arrest and raid was inadmissible in court.
Renegado said the complaint also failed to specify the acts allegedly comitted by Rohn that substantiated the police’s claim that he resisted arrest.
“As to how he (Rohn) refused to follow the order and in what manner he struggled and fought them back are not specified in their (complainants') narration of facts,” Renegado said.
Irene Caballes of the Children's Legal Bureau (CLB) said they will file either a motion for inhibition or a motion for reconsideration before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutors' Office.
Rohn was arrested for allegedly keeping minors inside his house in barangay Talangnan, Madridejos town in northern Cebu last June 3.
Charges of violating Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-child Abuse Law and resistance to persons in authority were filed against the 69-year-old Rohn.
Police found seven minors aged three to 15 years old inside Rohn's compound.
The child abuse law prohibits persons from keeping minors who are unrelated to him or her in any public or private place.
Violators face a life sentence along with a minimum P50,000 fine.
Two minors supposedly kept by Rohn filed additional charges of acts of lasciviousness and violation of Republic Act 9231 or Worst Forms of Child Labor before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office.
These cases are still underoing preliminary investigation. /Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol
