CEBU, Philippines - Like a telenovela, the plot has thickened in what was originally a case of a woman being held along with her lover for faking a kidnapping to extort money from her husband, who is foreigner.
This as a man, who claims to be the legal husband of the woman, Carin Ann Kenny, went to Cebu City Police Office yesterday and said he will also file charges against her for bigamy.
Felipe Demos, Jr., 33, who claimed to be the legal husband of Carin, showed the police the documents to prove their marriage.
Police arrested Carin, 32, and her alleged live-in partner Jimmy Amen, 31, for allegedly faking a kidnapping to extort money from the woman’s Australian husband, Sean Paul Kenny, 41.
Demos surfaced yesterday after he learned about the incident last Wednesday afternoon through a television newscast.
While her Australian husband claimed they were married last year, Demos showed documents that he was married to Carin on April 12, 2000 and that they have seven children.
He however admitted that he knew about the relationship of his wife and the Australian man, who works as a security guard in Perth, but he had no idea that they have been married.
He said that the relationship between his wife and the Australian man started in January 2008, but he tolerated it as Carin told him that they have to be practical.
Carin reportedly receives money from the Australian man, which she also spent on her children.
She met Kenny on the Internet.
Demos said that he did not know of the relationship of his wife and Amen until he also saw the newscast.
He alleged that Carin left them last November after a heated argument.
Demos also claimed that the six-month-old baby that the Australian man and Carin claim to be their child is in fact his youngest.
The eldest child of Demos and Carin is 12 years old.
The Australian man has reportedly been to the country about four times and Carin had always informed him that the man was coming over until they split up.
He suspects that when Carin left him late last year, she did not go with the Australian, but instead lived with Amen at a boarding house in barangay Sambag II.
Demos said that he used to work for a chicken restaurant, but was forced to quit his job last December due to the problems faced by family.
Amen, a native of Catarman, Northern Samar said he lives with his aunt in Villagonzalo I, barangay Tejero and not in Sambag II.
He worked as a taxicab driver since he came here in Cebu last year and met Carin in a disco.
Amen and Carin admitted their illicit relationship.
Interviewed separately, the two said they have been in a relationship for about six months.
Demos said that the mother of Carin has pleaded with him not to pursue the filing of charges. He said that he will not relent to prevent his wife from leaving with Kenny and their baby to Australia.
Kenny is scheduled to leave for Australia on March 15 with Carin and the baby.
Virginia Amora, Carin’s mother, denied asking Demos to do so and refused to make further comments.
When Demos visited Carin at the CCPO stockade to confront her, the woman denied being married to him and even said that he just made false statements.
The Australian man, who stood by Carin since she was arrested, did not make any comment despite the claims of Demos.
Kenny was reportedly married to Carin in civil rights last March 1, 2008 at the Consolacion Municipal Hall.
Last Wednesday, the CCPO officials said they will file swindling and other deceit charges against Carin.
Yesterday, Chief Insp. George Ylanan, chief of Investigation and Detective Management Branch of CCPO, said that a charge for bigamy will be filed against Carin if they will have authentic documents about her previous marriage.
Carin and Amen along with Sean Paul appeared before the City Prosecutors Office yesterday during the filing charges against Amen for illegal possession of firearms and Violation of Section 11 of the Dangerous Drugs Act.
The charges of other deceit where Carin was included in the complaint filed by the police did not prosper as Kenny refused to sign the affidavit.
In an interview with reporters, the Australian national said that he loves his wife, which is why he won’t file charges against her.
He also said that he would stick with his decision to bring her to Australia.
A complaint of robbery and extortion is also expected to be filed against Amen.
Kenny sought the assistance of the police when he received text messages from a man, who claimed to have kidnapped Carin.
Police arrested Carin and Amen at 11 p.m. last Tuesday outside a mall in midtown Cebu City area for allegedly faking the said kidnapping to extort P15,000 from Kenny. —/NLQ (THE FREEMAN)