American national, Filipina partner arrested for child trafficking

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MANILA — A 60-year-old American national and his Filipina partner accused of running a child prostitution and cybersex racket in the country were arrested by authorities in a Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC)-supervised operation late last week, officials announced Wednesday.

Harold Ronald Paddoc, a resident of California, USA and his secretary-bar manager Estela Cortes are now facing charges for violation of Section 7 of Republic Act 7610 or the anti-child trafficking law.

A report from the PAOCC chaired by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr. said the two were subjected to an inquest proceeding by General Santos City Prosecutor Joy Mirabueno after two girls aged 16 and 11 submitted written affidavits detailing the ordeal they suffered at the hands of the American national.

“The two victims filed written complaints narrating how they were sexually molested regularly by Paddock. The 16-year old girl said the American started sexually abusing her while she was 13 while the 11-year old said she was only 8-years old when the suspect started molesting her,” said General Santos City Police Office director, Senior Superintendent Froilan F. Quidilla.

The identities of the two minors were withheld due to their age.

The PAOCC said that the two were rescued in Barangay Lagao, General Santos City last Friday by combined agents of the Philippine National Police, the GENSAN DSWD and the PAOCC. The operation also resulted in the arrest of Cortes.

Paddoc managed to escape arrest during the raid but was caught at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 by a joint law enforcement team organized by the PAOCC last Sunday. The American was about to board a Bangkok-bound flight when arrested.

He was brought back to General Santos City by NBI and PAOCC agents for the inquest proceedings.

The PAOCC said Paddoc will also be facing other charges such as statutory rape and violation of the anti-cybercrime law in Davao City where some of the alleged sexual abuses took place.

PAOCC agents are also conducting follow-up investigations on the existence of an exclusive female escort service racket and cybersex company allegedly being managed by Paddock in Makati City.