Philippine minister says signs suggest Thomas Markle may be offender of the grossest kind, pending forensic work
Forensic inquiry continues
Jonvic Remulla, the Philippine interior minister, said investigators were examining the evidence and expected the forensic data to be complete in a week. He told the Guardian authorities needed to consider all angles in cases involving family disputes. Remulla said police would coordinate with counterparts to locate Markle and take legal action if investigators found sufficient evidence to charge him.
Claims about devices
The Sun reported that Thomas Markle Jr told Philippine detectives he found “hundreds, if not thousands” of images on computers and mobile phones kept in four large boxes at the Cebu home. The newspaper also reported that Markle Jr, 60, had contacted the FBI in the US.
Police and family response
Meghan said she was deeply distressed by the news and was thinking of children who may have been harmed. She said her estrangement from her father and decision to prevent contact with her children were intended to protect them. Sources later clarified that Meghan had misstated the year of the Met’s contact: it was 2019, not 2018 as she had said on Friday.
Key points
- Remulla said forensic data was expected to be complete in a week.
- Markle Sr denies possessing child sexual abuse images and denies having sex with anyone under 18.
- Philippine police are investigating a laptop found at Markle Sr’s former home in Cebu.
- The Met confirmed it sent Meghan a letter about claims in 2019.