Marseille ex-officer trial begins, revealing alleged sexual abuse of Filipino street children by a former police child protection officer

Marseille ex-officer trial begins Monday, drawing international attention over allegations of sexual abuse and exploitation of street children.

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The case involves a 46-year-old former officer from the child protection unit, accused of targeting vulnerable children in France and the Philippines.

The ex-policeman has been in custody for four years. Authorities launched the investigation after a youth shelter reported that a 17-year-old rape victim received inappropriate late-night messages from the officer who was supposed to protect them.

In June 2021, prosecutors raided his home in Marseille and seized thousands of child pornography images. The investigation further revealed that the man traveled annually to Manila as head of the French branch of a charity supporting street children.

Two Filipino boys, aged 12 and 15, told authorities he paid small sums of money in exchange for sexual acts, both on a piece of wasteland and at his apartment.

“This was a Machiavellian scheme — an unprecedented modus operandi in which someone presents themselves as an ambassador for child protection,” said Celine Astolfe, lawyer for France’s Foundation for Childhood, a plaintiff in the trial. Four other child protection charities are also plaintiffs.

The criminal trial is taking place in Aix-en-Provence and is expected to conclude Thursday. The shocking nature of the allegations has already prompted calls for stricter oversight in child protection organizations.

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As the court proceedings unfold, the world watches closely, hoping justice will be served for the most vulnerable victims.