All signs point to Thomas Markle Sr being a “possible sex offender of the grossest kind,” although a full forensic investigation will give a “definitive picture,” Philippine Secretary of the Interior Jonvic Remulla told the Guardian.
Philippine authorities are analyzing digital images allegedly belonging to the estranged father of the Duchess of Sussex that were said to have been found at his former home in Cebu.
Meghan’s half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, last week reported to authorities that he had apparently discovered a stash of child sexual abuse images.
Photo: Reuters
The duchess, already estranged from her father, broke off all contact with him last year, reportedly telling him she and the authorities were aware of allegations he had abused young girls, it is understood.
In a final letter to her father first reported by the Sun on Sunday, sent while he was in a hospital in the Philippines having had a leg amputated, Meghan made clear he would never see his grandchildren — Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five —a nd that she would never contact him again, it is understood.
“In these cases where family disputes are mixed up, we have to consider all the angles. Right now all signs point to a possible sex offender of the grossest kind. We want to be sure before we release the findings. The forensics data will be complete in a week,” Remulla said.
“Please give us a week to determine the contents and to come up with a definitive picture,” he said. “We will release a statement then.”
Markle Sr has denied possessing child sexual abuse images, telling the Daily Mail the accusations were “sick lies.”
Philippine police are also investigating a laptop found at the home in Cebu where Markle Sr had been living until he returned to the US earlier this year.
In a statement given to Agence France-Presse, Remulla said the Philippine National Police (PNP) inspected Markle Sr’s former home and found a “trove of child pornography materials as well as a laptop.”
“The PNP will coordinate with their counterparts to locate and take appropriate legal actions against Mr Markle if found that there is sufficient evidence to charge him,” he said.
Markle Sr has told the Mail the computers had not been in his possession since he left Mexico with his son last year and moved to the Philippines “for a fresh start.”
“This is bullshit. It’s just a bunch of lies. It’s sick. I have no idea why Tom is trying to destroy me with these lies,” he said.
The Sun reported on Friday that Markle Jr, 60, told detectives in the Philippines he had discovered “hundreds, if not thousands” of child sexual abuse images on computers and mobile phones stored in four large boxes at the home in Cebu.
Markle Jr, 60, said he had also contacted the FBI in the US, the newspaper said.
Meghan has said that she learned of allegations against her father in 2019, having been told by the Metropolitan police, and said she was given assurances these claims were being investigated.
Sources said she had been advised that speaking publicly about the claims could have jeopardized any potential legal case and also put her at risk of legal action.
On Saturday the Met confirmed it had passed a letter “containing a number of claims about alleged offending outside the United Kingdom” to Meghan and the Duke of Sussex in 2019, but did not share details with other law enforcement agencies.
Scotland Yard is considering whether to refer itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct to review its actions.
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