ANGELES CITY -- The Angeles City Police Office (ACPO) filed charges of child abuse against a Slovenian tourist for allegedly molesting a 17-year-old female inside the Sunlight Lodge in Barangay Balibago last Tuesday.

Chief Inspector Lorenzo B. Detran, Station 4 chief, identified the suspect as Jan Santros, 53, divorcee and tourist from Slovenia, temporarily living in La Paz, Magalang.

Detran said Santros was arrested by police officer Quirino Dayrit and PO3 Luis Taruc of the Regional Mobile Group (PRO3-RMG), and police officer Wilhelmina De Guzman as they found him with the female minor in Room 3 of the Sunlight Lodge along Hennyfel St., Balibago.

He said that police charged Santros for violation of Republic Act 7610 filed before Ronald Leo Haban, assistant city prosecutor.

Detran reported that after conducting an inquest, Haban ordered the continued detention of Santros.

Dayrit said that the victim, a resident of Leongson St., Fatima, Daang Hari, Navotas, Metro Manila, alleged that she was sent out to buy medicines for her aunt who was suffering from high blood pressure.

The girl related to Dayrit that Santros approached her along Fields Avenue and invited her for a snack.

According to Dayrit, the victim related that she and Santros walked to the Sunlight Lodge and entered Room 3 then while Santros took off his clothes, the victim, overwhelmed with fear and quickly left the room and screamed for help.

Dayrit said that PO3 Taruc then informed Station 4 of the incident, prompting him and De Guzman to proceed to the Sunlight Lodge and found Santros trying to pull the girl back inside the room.

Upon his arrest, Dayrit and Taruc brought Santros to the Station 4 for further investigation and preparation of charges.

Dayrit said that the victim's being under legal age was established by a copy of the birth certificate presented by her aunt.

When interviewed, Santros claimed that he met the victim while he was walking in front of the Blue Nile Club along Fields Avenue.

He related that the lady smiled at him then he talked with her. He said that at the outset of their conversation, he asked for her name and her age.

He said that when she told him she was already 20-years old, he became confident and felt that it would not do him harm to talk with her.

He added that when he invited her the girl readily agreed and even walked with him to the hotel.

(Sun Star, August 28, 2005 issue)