Overview
- Thomas Markle Jr. says he discovered suspected images and videos in four boxes at his father's former house in Cebu in July and reported the find to U.S. hotlines before giving an affidavit to Philippine child‑protection police on 22 October.
- A Philippine justice ministry official confirmed a complaint is under investigation and a specialized Cebu taskforce focused on human trafficking and child sexual exploitation is reported to be preparing seizure procedures and forensic examination of the alleged material.
- U.S. authorities including the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children were notified in July according to reports, which means evidence handling and cross‑border cooperation will be central to any further work.
- Meghan Markle issued a statement saying she was 'deeply shocked,' that she had been told in 2018 about disturbing allegations against her father and that she barred him from contact with her children to protect them.
- Thomas Markle Sr. and some family members deny the claims, no forensic results or criminal charges have been made public, and next steps will hinge on forensic verification, chain‑of‑custody review and possible multi‑jurisdictional prosecutions.