Canada charges Philippines diplomats with human trafficking

OTTAWA — Canadian federal police laid charges Friday against two Philippines diplomats for alleged human trafficking involving the exploitation of the couple's nanny. Robert and Bueneflor Cruz, 45 and 44 years old, respectively, face charges including mischief, uttering threats, withholding their former nanny's identification documents and human trafficking.

The suspects, however, have left the country while their 26-year-old nanny has been "relocated to a safe location" in Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. Following up on a complaint by a third party in December, police said "investigators determined that the victim entered the country legally as a domestic worker for the couple, working as a nanny.

"Investigators found that the victim was exploited for financial and material benefit, from July 2009 to December 2013, at the private residence of the couple in Ottawa."