Philippines Names Markle Jr. Person of Interest as Inquiry Cites 7,000 Images

Philippine authorities have named Thomas Markle Jr., the Duchess of Sussex's estranged half-brother, a person of interest in their inquiry into child sexual abuse images allegedly linked to their father, Thomas Markle Sr. Interior and local government secretary Jonvic Remulla said Markle Jr. is not yet being treated as a suspect, according to The Guardian.

Remulla said the question of the son's involvement should be answered soon. Markle Jr. is the person who first alerted local police and the FBI to the material.

What Philippine officials said about Markle Jr.

Speaking at a press conference in Manila, Remulla said investigators were working to establish whether the son played a role. He said there were "signs that point that the son is involved in the crime as well," but only as a person of interest so far. He added that authorities expect to know more in the next few days.

The Guardian reported that Markle Jr., 60, is not thought to be linked directly to the material he gave police. He remains in Cebu City in the Philippines. According to the Sun, which first published the claims, he was recently interviewed at his home in Cordova, Cebu, during a multi-agency meeting held over Microsoft Teams. He gave his statement to an FBI agent based in Florida who specializes in child sexual abuse cases.

What investigators say they found

Remulla said more than 7,000 photos and one video were uncovered. He said they showed under-age males and females of Asian, Latin and European descent, some as young as 10 and 11. He called them the most deplorable displays of impunity toward sexual activity he had ever seen.

Markle Jr. has said he found four storage boxes at his father's home in the Philippines holding "hundreds, if not thousands" of such images. Police and FBI agents are examining whether Markle Sr. possessed illegal images while living in the Philippines and in Mexico, where he previously lived. The Guardian reported that other illegal images were reportedly found in one of his storage units in Mexico. Remulla has previously called Markle Sr. a possible sex offender of the grossest kind.

What Markle Sr. and Meghan have said

Markle Sr., 82, returned to the U.S. from the Philippines in May. He has admitted paying for sex in the Philippines but strongly denies possessing child abuse imagery. He has suggested he was "set up." The Guardian reported that he has reportedly been moved into a U.S. care home for dementia patients, where he now lives.

When the allegations were first published, Meghan said she was deeply distressed by them. She said she was told of disturbing allegations against her father in 2018. She said she has kept him from contact with her children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, to protect them.

What this means for the inquiry

The designation widens the investigation from the father to the person who reported him. It does not amount to an accusation against Markle Jr., and Remulla was explicit that he is not a suspect. No charges against either man were announced in the reporting.

The case also spans several countries. Authorities in the Philippines and the U.S. are involved, and the inquiry looks at material reportedly found in both the Philippines and Mexico. Whether any of it is confirmed as illegal, and who is responsible, remains for investigators to determine.

What happens next

Remulla said officials should know within days whether Markle Jr. is involved. Police and FBI agents continue to examine whether Markle Sr. held illegal images in the Philippines and Mexico.

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Around Prague, based on reporting by The Guardian