Wanted american caught in Dumaguete

Wanted american caught in Dumaguete

By Juancho R. Gallarde (The Freeman) | Updated November 27, 2014 - 12:00am

CEBU, Philippines – A wanted citizen of the United States of America was arrested yesterday in Dumaguete City for having an outstanding felony warrant in the State of Florida for sexual battery and lewd or lascivious molestation of a child less than 12 years old.

Operatives of the Bureau of Immigration from Manila and from the BID-Dumaguete district office, led by head agent Alvin Rebadulla, caught Thomas Edward Fenton, 74, from his temporary residence, a rented apartment at Morito Road in Barangay Taclobo, this city.
Fenton’s passports was revoked since last September 10, due to the charges against him in Florida. Then last September 28, 2014, Special Prosecutor Homer Arellano charged Fenton for being an undocumented alien, for posing a risk to public interest, and for being considered a fugitive.

US Embassy attaché Gregory Brenneman has informed the Bureau of Immigration in Manila, through Commissioner Siegfred Mison, that Fenton has an outstanding felony warrant of arrest and that his presence in the country poses risk to public interest.
In lieu of this development, a search was launched for the capture of the fugitive who was eventually found in Dumaguete.

NBI Special Investigator Nick Tagle who was tasked to locate the whereabouts of Fenton successfully arrested the American fugitive, in the presence of his Filipina wife who hails from Siquijor.
Tagle disclosed that Dumaguete maybe one of the best retirement places in the world, but for fugitives, Dumaguete is not good for them because the community is very cooperative in extending information about their presence, resulting in the arrest of other wanted Americans hiding in the city after committing crimes in the US

Fenton, in an interview, confirmed to reporters the charges against him for molesting a child, but he denied committing the crime. He said he was embroiled in a family feud back in Florida and that his accusers were members of the family he had a conflict with.
After his arrest Fenton was escorted by authorities back to Manila yesterday. Mison has ordered Fenton’s deportation to his country of origin, subject to the submission of the clearance from the NBI.

 

I have known Tommy for several years and i can't believe any of this.. i guess now a days if you spank a child in the states its an act of molestation and sexual battery.. Tom is a good guy;...When these people here get their head out of their @ss's and do something they can actually be proud of let me know... Let me know when Pinoys can actually take the blame for what is happening in their own country instead of spewing sh*t about foreigners then i will believe things are getting better here,, but that isn't happening..

 

Andiflip,

I understand that this guy is your friend and you feel the charges against him are not valid. Stating that you feel the charges are false and vouching for his character are what friends do. I don't know him, and I have no opinion on whether he is guilty or not. I know that being accused of a crime and guilty of a crime are two different things. I also realize the damage that can be done to a persons reputation and livelihood when these accusations are made. I have a friend who has been in prison for the last six years, even after the girl recanted her testimony.

However I believe that the actions taken by the Philippines in this case appear to be just and prudent. His passport was revoked. That is something that was done by the United States. The Philippines then had a visitor without the proper documentation. Considering the charges that are alleged against him I believe the NBI acted appropriately.

I think your accusations of spewing false accusations would have been better directed towards those who made the accusations in Florida. In any case he was arrested for this in 2012, and I am kind of surprised his passport was not revoked at that time.

http://www.newsmanateearchive.com/2012-08-25-local.asp

 

I can see both points of view here.
So rather than just put "Likes" I am saying so.

 

I know Tommy we were in the expats club together for a short time ,he and his wife was at our house for a function 15 months ago ,i have no opinion as to the charges against him . What worries me is the damage this sort events does not help the reputation of all expats living in dumaguete, over the last 12 months i have felt more and more locals seem to hold amenosity towards us the yap and cohan storys did nothing to help the situation . Bad atitude and a lack of respect towards locals from some expats does not help . Yesterday we were waiting in front of globe when the natonal anthem was being played an expat made a point to walk back and forth during this time smileing at everyone while doing it , many pinoys standing there were very upset. IF you think this country is backwards n stinks then go back to were you come from n leave the rest of us to enjoy the good life .

 

I know Tommy for 16 years, Philippines and Florida. He have a charges in Florida but he was not guilty. The kid was his niece, family of his wife. Tommy and his wife take care of them for many years and the whole of his wife family. When tommy left from USA he have a papers that he is free, he can go anywhere he wants. They travel to Hong Kong and Vietnam if he is wanted there that time? Why he still can travel?????Please do not judge him. If you don't know the guy. Thank you very much.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I understand a friend believing his friend is innocent just as a wife might believe her husband is innocent.But a quick check of Tom arrest record shows a long history of charges in Florida long before he married a Filipina.The last charges ended with a not guilty verdict.So Tom was free to leave the U.S.,passport in hand.Since he has been arrested again, it would indicate that new charges have been placed on him by new juveniles for molesting.This is a serious crime in the U.S. that is not so easily paid off.Many foreigners come to the Philippines for child prostitution.It is a fact.Ignoring the problem does not make it go away.So the next time your sitting around drinking beer with your expat buddies,watching the hookers,how many of them do you really know are not criminals hiding from the law.

 

Talking to a local lawyer not that long ago it came out that the majority of molesting cases in the Philippines and most certainly of young girl Rape is perpetrated, by Uncles, elder cousins Step fathers of the Children, these things are not normally reported in the press as it would be a daily Ritual,
It is only when a Foreigner is in the Frame, Accused or just there that it gets blown out of Proportion.
If I came across one (ex Pat) and there were no Doubts, I would deal with it.

JP

 

I certainly hope you are right.