Philippine Task Force Opens Probe into Thomas Markle Over Alleged Child‑Abuse Images

Overview

• Philippine justice officials said the OSAEC unit in Cebu is investigating reports that alleged child sexual abuse images were found in the former residence of Thomas Markle.
• The inquiry was announced Friday after British tabloids reported the discovery and local authorities said they were preparing to collect evidence in Cebu.
• Meghan Markle issued a statement saying she is profoundly upset, that she was shown a 2018 letter to the Metropolitan Police with disturbing allegations about her father, and that she cut contact to protect her children.
• The Metropolitan Police said it is conducting internal checks to confirm whether officers referred a 2018 letter and whether any prior action was taken; Thomas Markle has denied the accusations.
• Key questions remain unresolved including formal attribution of the images, the outcome of any evidence review, and whether U.S. agencies will open parallel inquiries, so further cross‑border developments are likely to follow.