THE counsel of accused Australian pedophile Peter Gerard Scully said they have not received a copy from the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicting his client for 69 criminal cases but said his client is "ready and waiting" for the trial to begin.
Lawyer Adonis Gumahad learned that Scully has been charged for 8 counts of qualified trafficking in persons, 2 counts of rape by sexual intercourse, 6 counts of rape by sexual assault, 9 counts of child abuse, 25 counts of photo and video voyeurism, 4 counts of child pornography, 5 counts of syndicated child pornography, and 5 counts of indecent and obscene shows and publications.
“The DOJ has to furnish us with the official copy before we can assess our next legal action,” Gumahad said.
Gumahad, however, said that Scully became his client only this year that he could not elaborate the status of the case handled by the DOJ.
"During that time pag file and pag-process sa DOJ dili ako ang naghawid, 2016 na ko naghawid sa kaso and I don't know kung naka-file ang kanhi abogado ni Scully og counter before," Gumahad said.
Gumahad is currently handling Scully's cases specifically on trafficking in persons and the 6 counts of rape by sexual assault filed by two minors in the city.
Gumahad said the first presentation of the prosecution's witnesses is initially scheduled on September 20.
The DOJ is expected to file the charges to courts in the areas where the crime had been committed.
"DOJ Manila man nag handle they will file it sa mga korte kung asa na-commit ang crime mostly ana nga mga kaso is sa CDO (Cagayan de Oro) ang area except atong sa Surigao nga namatay ang biktima."
A native of Melbourne, Australia, Scully arrived in the Philippines in 2011 where he sets up a cybersex trade, filming minors from impoverished families.
Authorities arrested Scully in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon by virtue of six arrest warrants issued by a local Regional Trial Court in February 2015 in connection to the sexual and physical abuse allegedly committed in Apovel Subdivision in Barangay Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City.
Scully has been detained at the Cagayan de Oro City Jail since 2015.
