CALGARY — Meghan Markle’s half-brother, who originally reported his father to authorities over alleged child sexual abuse material, has now been named a person of interest in the same investigation following disturbing new witness allegations in the Philippines.Thomas Markle Jr., 60, is being examined by Philippine authorities after witnesses claimed underage girls were brought to his residence in Cebu.Philippine Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed Thursday that investigators are examining whether Markle Jr. had any involvement in the alleged offences, although he emphasized that the younger Markle is not currently considered a suspect.Witnesses reportedly told authorities they had seen underage girls entering the residence, where ring lights were allegedly visible through the windows.According to GMA News, Markle Jr. reportedly explained that the lighting equipment was used to create TikTok videos.Authorities are continuing to examine the witness allegations and expect to determine within the coming week whether Markle Jr. had any involvement. .The development marks a significant turn in an investigation that began after Markle Jr. himself reported discovering suspected child sexual abuse material among belongings allegedly left behind by his father, Thomas Markle Sr., 82.In October, Philippine authorities launched an investigation after the younger Markle turned over electronic devices, including a laptop, that he claimed contained disturbing images and videos.Markle Jr. told The Sun he was horrified by what he allegedly discovered while sorting through his father's possessions at his former residence in Cebu. He claimed the material included hundreds, potentially thousands, of images stored across electronic devices and other belongings."I won't speak to my father ever again unless I'm called to give evidence against him," he told the newspaper.He also reportedly contacted the FBI and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the United States.Philippine Justice Undersecretary Nicholas Ty confirmed on October 23 that authorities had launched an investigation."Our Anti-Trafficking and Anti-OSAEC (online sexual abuse and exploitation of children) task force in Cebu is currently investigating the matter," Ty told Reuters.Markle Sr. has denied the allegations against him, describing them as false..Philippine authorities have since disclosed additional findings from their examination of electronic devices connected to the investigation.According to Remulla, investigators recovered approximately 7,500 photographs and one video depicting minors, including material involving suspected child sexual abuse.Some of the children depicted reportedly appeared to be Filipino, while others appeared to be of different nationalities.However, investigators have not conclusively established who owned the devices, downloaded the files or was responsible for the material.Authorities have requested FBI assistance to identify the registered owners of six mobile phones believed to have originated in the United States.The investigation has also extended to Mexico, where authorities searched a storage unit previously rented by Markle Sr. in Rosarito Beach.Computer equipment and other materials were recovered for examination, although investigators have not publicly established whether those items contain evidence of criminal wrongdoing..The allegations have attracted international attention because of the family's connection to Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, who has been estranged from her father for several years.Meghan previously expressed distress over the allegations involving her father and said protecting children remained a priority.It remains unclear whether she has responded to the latest allegations involving her half-brother.Philippine authorities continue to investigate the recovered material and witness accounts as they work to establish whether any offences were committed.Neither Markle Sr. nor Markle Jr. has been publicly confirmed as facing criminal charges in connection with the investigation..Following the initial reports in October, Meghan Markle issued a statement revealing she had been informed of troubling allegations against her father years before the current investigation began."I am deeply distressed at the news that has come to light in the last 24 hours, and my thoughts are with any children who may have been harmed," she said.The Duchess initially recalled that a letter containing allegations about her father had been sent to London's Metropolitan Police and its Royalty and Specialist Protection unit in 2018, the year she married Prince Harry.She said the letter was subsequently shared with her and that she had been assured the allegations were being investigated.Meghan explained that the information influenced her decision to maintain her distance from her father and prevent him from having contact with her children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.According to Meghan, her decision to keep her children away from their grandfather was made "for one reason: to protect them.""I trusted that the authorities were doing the same for other families," she added.The Duchess concluded her statement by expressing hope that justice would be served and that protecting children would remain the priority.Her representatives subsequently acknowledged that she had mistaken the year she received the allegations, accepting police records showing the letter was received in January 2019..London's Metropolitan Police has since confirmed it received a letter in January 2019 containing allegations of criminal activity outside the United Kingdom involving Thomas Markle Sr.The force said the letter was reviewed and forwarded to the office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their awareness.However, police acknowledged that the allegations were never shared with other law enforcement agencies.The Metropolitan Police said it was reviewing its handling of the matter and considering whether a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct was necessary.According to ITV News, the letter contained allegations relating to conduct outside Britain, and no criminal investigation was launched by the Metropolitan Police at the time.The clarification raised further questions about how the allegations were handled, particularly after Meghan said she had understood that authorities were investigating the claims.It remains unclear whether the allegations contained in the 2019 letter are directly connected to the material currently being examined in the Philippines..Markle Sr. had been living in the Philippines after relocating from Mexico in 2025.He subsequently returned to the United States following serious health complications, including a stroke and the amputation of his left leg.According to The Guardian, he was receiving rehabilitation treatment in Florida while learning to walk with a prosthetic limb.More recent reports indicate he has since moved into a care facility, raising questions about whether investigators will be able to interview him.Markle Sr. has denied possessing child sexual abuse material or sexually abusing minors. Meanwhile, his son remains in Cebu as Philippine authorities continue examining the recovered evidence and new witness allegations.Neither Markle Sr. nor Markle Jr. has been publicly confirmed as facing criminal charges in connection with the investigation.Authorities have emphasized that determining the origin and ownership of the recovered material remains central to establishing whether any offences were committed.
