THE Swedish nationals accused of operating a cybersex den in Cagayan de Oro are confined in a hospital for the last two nights instead of being detained in jail facility.
A police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Bo Stefan Sederholms and Emil Andreas Solemo are confined at the Madonna and Child Hospital since Sunday evening.
"They're not here (Maharlika detention cell) anymore. They were brought to Madonna for medical examination, and a doctor there recommended their confinement," the police officer told Sun.Star Monday.
However, a hospital staff refused to confirm the confinement of the two Swedish nationals, saying a policy bars them from providing such information.
Acting City Police Director Noel P. Armilla at first denied any knowledge of Sederholms and Andreas' confinement at Madonna, but later confirmed that the two were admitted to the hospital Sunday evening.
"One of the suspects complained of chest pain, so one of our officers took the initiative to have them brought to the hospital," Armilla told Sun.Star, explaining that he was only told of the suspects' hospitalization after he verified information coming from this paper.
It was not immediately clear, however, why both Sederholms and Solemo were taken to the hospital when only one of them had complained of "chest pain."
Nonetheless, a women's group who took custody of the several female "models" who were rescued from the cybersex den lambasted authorities on the Swedes' two-day admission at the hospital.
"This is another demonstration of our government authorities cozying up with foreign nationals who are abusing our very own women. The nature of this so-called hospital confinement is questionable," said Kristine Lim, chairwoman of Gabriela in Northern Mindanao.
The Swedes were detained at the Maharlika detention cell after the inquest at the City Prosecutor's Office on Friday.
For "humanitarian reasons," Lim said no one can begrudge the suspects' two-day confinement at the hospital "if only for valid health reasons."
However, the Gabriela chairwoman doubted the truthfulness of the Swedes' "medical alibi," saying it was more likely that the two were plucked out of the jail for "their own convenience."
Lim called on the police to return the suspects to jail, saying a two-day stay at Madonna can no longer be justified "for males who looked healthy and physically fit."
She said the police's treatment of the Swedes "can only be compared with how Daniel Smith was treated."
Smith, who was convicted and then acquitted of rape charges recently, has become a punching bag for women's groups denouncing the purported special privileges extended to aliens found abusing Filipinas-especially US servicemen.
Armilla said the Swedes are expected to go out of the hospital Tuesday and will be transferred to the Lumbia Jail.
"We are just waiting for the commitment order for them to be handed over to the Lumbia facility. They will not be expected to remain in the hospital when the order arrives today," he said. (JPN/DVAIII)
CAGAYAN de Oro City Mayor Constantino Jaraula ordered the local police Monday to launch an all-out drive against business establishments and Internet cafes posing as "prostitution" and "cybersex" dens in the city.
Jaraula issued the order after two Swedish nationals were arrested last week by joint police and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) operatives for allegedly operating a cybersex den along the national highway in Barangay Kauswagan, this city.
Media reports claimed that at least 18 (a mix-up by authorities had earlier put the number to 17) female "models" were caught in a raid of a suspected cybersex den.
"We should not tolerate 'sabak-sabak' (prostitution) and 'hubo-hubo' (lewd shows) in our city," said Mayor Jaraula after he received reports of the proliferation of the illegal sex trade in the city.
Jaraula stressed that the city has so much to offer to guests and visitors, saying that sex trade would only erode the image of the Cagayanons as 'morally upright' people.
The local economy perked up after Cagayan de Oro City hosted several local and national conventions over the past few weeks.
"We should be able to offer to our guests and visitors something appreciable and admirable and let them bring home the lasting and wholesome memory such as good food, nice accommodations, and amenities and the like," the mayor said.
With the growing reputation of Cagayan de Oro City as a major investment and tourism destination in this part of the country, Mayor Jaraula noted that the city can compete with other fast-growing cities in the country, but not on the level of illegal sex trade, but that of on the level of "decency and morality." (CIO)
Originally Posted by keithAngel
