Philippine authorities are coordinating with US and UK law enforcement to investigate Thomas Markle over alleged possession of child sexual abuse material in Cebu.
DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed Markle's laptop is undergoing forensic examination while PNP Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. stated appropriate legal action will follow if evidence is established.
The investigation coincides with rising online child sexual abuse cases in Central Visayas, where regional authorities rescued 50 children from online sexual exploitation in 2025.
POLICE are coordinating with law enforcement authorities in the US and the UK to investigate allegations of child exploitation involving Thomas Markle, the father of Meghan Markle.
Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said Sunday, Oct. 25, 2026, that cross-border cooperation is essential to investigate suspected child exploitation cases involving digital evidence and individuals with links to different countries.
“The safety of our children remains a priority. Those who try to engage in child exploitation often extend beyond borders and, as such, it emphasizes the importance of strong coordination with our foreign counterparts,” Nartatez said.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said Markle is being investigated over allegations involving the possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Remulla said Markle had been based in Cebu, although authorities are verifying whether he has returned to the US.
Markle’s laptop is undergoing forensic examination, Remulla said. Authorities found his belongings at his former residence in Cebu. Markle denied the allegations, according to published reports.
As of Sunday, authorities had not announced any criminal charges against Markle. The results of the forensic examination had not been publicly established.
Nartatez said the PNP will pursue appropriate legal action if evidence establishes his involvement in the online exploitation of minors.
Exploitation cases
The investigation comes amid continuing concerns over online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (Osaec) in Central Visayas. Authorities reported cases involving adults exploiting children and minors manipulated into producing sexual content.
In 2025, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 7, in coordination with the PNP and the National Bureau of Investigation, rescued at least 50 children from Osaec in the region — 32 girls and 18 boys.
The figure is higher than the 42 cases documented in 2023. The figures should be compared only after confirming they use the same reporting definitions.
DSWD 7 said children could be manipulated or enticed through offers tailored to their interests. Transactions linked to Osaec cases range from P10,000 to P20,000 per instance, according to authorities.
The agency cautioned against attributing Osaec solely to poverty, noting that some offenders come from families not classified as economically disadvantaged.
A study published in 2020 by the International Justice Mission (IJM), in collaboration with the US State Department and the Philippine government, identified the Philippines as a major source of online sexual exploitation of children.
According to the study, the Philippines received 237 case referrals from foreign law enforcement agencies. The research reported that Philippine anti-trafficking units handled 43 cases in 2017, up from one in 2014.
Vulnerable victims
In cases involving the livestreaming of child sexual abuse, overseas customers paid to direct abuse through live video, with money transfers facilitating transactions. Researchers identified a financial motive in 83 percent of the cases reviewed.
Of 381 victims identified in 90 cases, the median age was 11 and some victims were infants. Among victims whose relationship to the trafficker was known, 41 percent were abused by a biological parent and 42 percent by other relatives.
Two-thirds of the traffickers in the cases reviewed were women and 96 percent were Filipino. All customers identified in the study were men aged 40 to 72, mostly from the US, Sweden and Australia.
Researchers estimated that the number of internet protocol (IP) addresses associated with child sexual exploitation in the Philippines rose from about 23,000 in 2014 to nearly 82,000 in 2017. They cautioned that the increase could reflect more offending, more reporting, or both.
The study recommended stronger detection of online child sexual abuse material, mandatory reporting requirements and increased funding for Philippine anti-trafficking units.
IJM reported that 63 of its 76 convictions since 2011 resulted from plea agreements intended to spare child victims from testifying. / TPM / MVG