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Philippines police extend child abuse investigation to Meghan’s brother Thomas Markle Jr as well as her father
Developing story first seen 1 hour ago
Philippine police have widened their child sexual abuse inquiry to include Thomas Markle Jr as a person of interest, following witness claims that underage girls were brought to his home. The development adds a new line of investigation to a case involving Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s estranged father, who denies the allegations.
Interior Minister Juanito Victor Remulla said Thomas Jr is not a suspect at this stage; he reportedly told police he was making TikTok videos. Thomas Jr, 60, initially reported his father, 82, to police in Cebu after finding disturbing images among his belongings. Investigators are examining alleged images found in storage units in the Philippines and Mexico; Thomas Sr has denied the claims and accused his son of making them up for money.
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In short
- Philippine police have added Thomas Markle Jr as a person of interest.
- Witnesses reportedly said underage girls were brought to his home.
- Thomas Markle Sr denies the abuse allegations.
How this story developed
- 46 minutes ago Philippine police have widened an investigation into possible child sexual abuse offences involving Thomas Markle Sr to include his son, Thomas Markle Jr, as a person of interest.
- 47 minutes ago Philippine police have widened their child sexual abuse inquiry to include Thomas Markle Jr as a person of interest, following witness claims that underage girls were brought to his home.
Full account
The Philippines’ investigation into allegations of child sexual abuse linked to Thomas Markle Sr, the estranged father of the Duchess of Sussex, has widened to include his son, Thomas Markle Jr. Interior Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla said at a press conference in Manila that the younger Markle is a person of interest, while stressing that he is not currently a suspect and that officers are still checking the claims.
Remulla said a witness had alleged that underage girls were taken to a house connected to the inquiry. He said police had asked Thomas Jr about the allegation; according to the minister, Thomas Jr said he was making TikTok videos. Officers reportedly found no underage girls in the TikTok account they examined. Remulla said investigators would determine whether the son had any involvement, and that further information was expected in the coming days.
The inquiry began after Thomas Jr reported his father to police, saying he had found what he believed to be child sexual abuse images among belongings stored in boxes in Cebu. Philippine authorities say thousands of sensitive files were recovered from a mobile phone, dismantled computers and other devices. They have not established whether those devices belonged to Thomas Sr and are seeking help from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation to identify their ownership. Thomas Sr, 82, has denied the allegations, describing them as “sick lies”.
Thomas Jr, 60, has said he wants forensic experts to establish who downloaded or viewed the material, and has called for his father to face the allegations in court. Meghan has said she is deeply disturbed by the investigation and indicated that earlier allegations had influenced her decision to keep her father away from her children. The inquiry remains ongoing, and the claims against both men have not been established in court.
Where outlets differ
From the full account, which is AI-written from the sources:
The first report focuses on the expansion of the inquiry and gives more detail about the allegation concerning Thomas Jr, including the TikTok explanation and the minister’s account of checks on the account. The second centres on the person-of-interest designation and adds the reported scale and sources of the recovered files, the request for FBI assistance, and background on the family’s responses.
The reports describe the minister’s title differently: the first calls him the interior minister, while the second uses Interior Secretary. The first also quotes him describing Thomas Sr in strongly condemnatory terms; the second emphasises that investigators have not yet confirmed who owned the devices containing the files. Both reports stress that Thomas Jr is not currently a suspect.
Explained simply
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is a member of the British royal family. Her father, Thomas Markle Sr, and her half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, are estranged from her and live outside Britain.
Philippine police are investigating allegations involving sexual images of children reportedly found in storage units in the Philippines and Mexico. The inquiry began after Thomas Jr reported his father; police are also examining witness claims about girls visiting Thomas Jr’s home.
A person of interest is someone investigators want to look into, but it does not mean they have been charged or found guilty. The case matters because it concerns alleged abuse of children and involves family members of a prominent public figure.
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