The Philippine National Police (PNP) is coordinating with United States authorities as it examines digital evidence in the allegations of child sexual abuse materials involving Thomas Markle Sr., with investigators still working to identify the individuals in the recordings and establish where they originated.
Initial examination of the recovered files uncovered suspected child sexual abuse and exploitation materials (CESAEM), although the individuals appearing in the videos reviewed so far have not been identified as Filipinos, police said.
Police Major General Wilson Asueta, assistant director for Investigation and Detective Management, said the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit 7 (RACU-7) initially assessed that the individuals appeared to have foreign backgrounds, including Asian and Caucasian appearances.
One recording reportedly depicted a female minor and a male engaged in sexual activities.
However, investigators have yet to establish the identities of those shown in the recordings or determine where the alleged acts occurred.
Asueta cautioned against treating the preliminary findings as conclusive, saying authorities are still analyzing the files and validating information that could link them to the allegations against Markle Sr.
The digital examination covers electronic devices and other materials that Markle Jr. turned over to the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking (IACAT) on Oct. 23, 2026.
The submitted items include nine cellular phones, three memory cards, five hard drives and a camera, along with other non-digital materials.
The PNP has tapped several units to examine the evidence, including the Women and Children Protection Center, Anti-Cybercrime Group, RACU-7 and Police Regional Office 7.
Asueta said investigators are also conducting field inquiries to verify information obtained from the digital examination and establish additional circumstances surrounding the case.
“Initially those materials or videos examined, based from RACU-7, they are not from here,” Asueta said.
“Our field investigators are also doing their best in conducting investigations in the field verifying information that were provided to us,” he added.
Authorities have yet to determine who possessed the files, how they were acquired or whether the recordings can be directly connected to the allegations against Markle Sr.
Asueta said investigators could pursue charges under existing laws covering online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) and CESAEM if the evidence supports prosecution.
“The investigation is doing on the right direction and of course if there’s sufficient evidence in the evidence warrants we will file a case,” he said.
The PNP official also confirmed that Markle Sr., 82, has left the Philippines, but did not provide details about his departure or disclose his current location.
The investigation has also drawn the attention of US authorities.
Asueta said the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other American agencies are conducting separate inquiries while coordinating with Philippine investigators.
“FBI and US authorities are doing their own investigations and in partnership for collaboration on the investigative matters,” he said.
Markle Sr., the estranged father of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has denied the allegations, describing them as “sick lies” in an interview with the Daily Mail.
The allegations were reported by British newspapers The Sun and Daily Mail.
Meghan previously said she had seen a 2018 letter addressed to London’s Metropolitan Police and Royalty and Specialist Protection that contained similar allegations against her father.
She said she was assured at the time that the concerns were being investigated.
Media reports said Markle Sr. moved from Mexico to Cebu in 2025, where he reportedly lived with his son, before returning to the United States in May 2026 for further medical treatment and a prosthetic limb.
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