American arrested in Philippines set to face US Court for sex charges

By FLORENCE F. HIBIONADA, Senior Reporter, PNS
February 7, 2011

ILOILO CITY  –  Notice to all local victims, girlfriend and friends of David Wayne Altman Greth, the deported American wanted in United States (US) for felony charge and sex crimes.

After nearly two months since his arrest here in Iloilo City, Greth is finally set to face his captors and victims with a Court date this week in his hometown Porstmouth, Virginia.

In an update, PNS learned of a scheduled closed-door Court hearing following the closure of felony charge “unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.”  From then on, Greth will face up against US State prosecutors on11 sexual offenses including rape, two counts of child abuse, two counts of aggravated sexual battery and three counts of forcible sodomy.

This, as an online support group was set up by one of his American victims that has thus far reached out to young Ilonggas lured into sexual relations by Greth.

To recall, Greth spent a good part of his hiding years here in Iloilo City where he managed to generate at least 30 young women as “friends” in his 5 Facebook accounts.  He also was the favorite non-paying customer of commercial sex workers in Molo District here and boyfriend to at least 5 young locals.  He was mostly known as “Robert Kline” and “David Altman.”

Upon his arrest in December, one of the girlfriends was already pregnant and now due to give birth middle of March.  There was also another 19 year-old girlfriend feared to be the one in several of his sex videos recovered by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Regional Office 6.  To both young women, he was “David Altman.”

Yet another local woman apparently “introduced” and in contact with Greth’s family was also a known girlfriend though this one is not believed to be in the “victim” category.  Local authorities got the confirmation of continued contact of this woman described to be in her early 30s and thus far appeared to have known Greth in his real name and circumstance.

Meantime, continued call for support for Greth’s victims is made via Facebook with posted comments here from both self-confessed victims and townmates.  A warning was also put up to all “Robert Kline” friends with the information that such was used by the accused pedophile in his quest for victims and link to his family.

Greth’s capture was done by the NBI Regional Office 6 led by Investigation Agent Arnold Diaz. 

Some 16 Operatives were then led by Agent Diaz as Immigration Officer II Apolonio Calingasan approached him with the deportation order minutes after he got off work in Mabini Street, Iloilo City.

When processed at the NBI 6 headquarters, Greth feigned shock and surprise on the piled-up sexual charges. Yet he appeared hopeful at one point saying he would want to go back to the Philippines and retire here one day.

“I did not touch any kids here in the Philippines…of course I have girlfriends but I did not do anything wrong here to nobody…..you can ask anybody who knew me…..My stay here in the Philippines had nothing to do with kids….I don’t know where the charges were coming from in my own country.  There you are guilty until proven innocent,” he said in disgust while adding “I may just end up as someone’s boyfriend in jail….”

To note, Greth entered the Philippines in August 4, 2006 and was given until August 25, 2006 as legal stay.  He said he had at least $20,000 with him upon arrival and lived for years like a rich man, “or at least it felt that way,” he quipped.

As his resources dwindled, he went from one place to the other and while in Iloilo, he assumed several names to his online and offline friends.  At work though as tutor for an English tutorial center for Koreans, he went by his legal name, David Greth.