Italian envoy slapped with child abuse, human trafficking raps
AMBASSADOR Daniele Bosio in a photo taken from the official website of the Italian Embassy in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Laguna Prosecutors Office on Monday filed before the Laguna court child abuse and human trafficking charges against the Italian diplomat who has been detained in the country since last month.
Daniele Bosio, the Italian ambassador to Turkmenistan, has been charged with three counts of violation of Republic Act 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Act and three counts of violation of Republic Act 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.
The prosecutor recommended P120,000 bail for each count of violation of Anti-Child Abuse Law but no bail was recommended for qualified trafficking.
Bosio was on a holiday when he was arrested last April. Witnesses from the Bahay Tuluyan Foundation, a non-government group promoting children’s rights, alleged that while at the resort in Laguna, they saw Bosio “touching and caressing” three underaged boys in the swimming pool.
When asked how they were related, one of the boys said Bosio was his father but another said they were not related at all.
Sensing something wrong, the foundation executives sought help from policemen at the resort who arrested Bosio.
Article continues after this advertisementFor his defense, Bosio said he merely acted in the performance of his social and moral duty to afford the children their rights to play and recreation as well as their basic rights to food, clothing and cleanliness.
Article continues after this advertisementBut Provincial Prosecutor Agrifino Baybay III said in a resolution that if Bosio’s intention was to help uplift the welfare of complainants, “he should have instead brought them to Breakthrough Christian Academy (BCA), Brgy. Bagong Silang, Quezon City where he previously served as volunteer teacher so that they too may have the same opportunity to study and attend school just like the long line of minor children bought to this office during the preliminary investigation to vouch for his supposed reputation for, among others, being fond of and passionate about helping underprivileged children.”
“While respondent appears to have been previously involved in activities both here and abroad, supposedly demonstrating his fondness of and being passionate about helping underprivileged children, the acts herein complained of…are lamentably not typical or distinctive of genuine affection for and passion to help the children involved,” the resolution stated.
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