Philippine authorities have launched an investigation into Thomas Markle Sr., the estranged father of the Duchess of Sussex, following allegations of possession of illicit material. The inquiry was initiated after Thomas Markle Jr. reportedly contacted officials last week, claiming to have discovered a collection of child sexual abuse images at a property in Cebu previously occupied by his father.

The Philippine interior minister, speaking to The Guardian, stated that while current evidence suggests Markle Sr. could be a "sex offender of the grossest kind," a full forensic analysis of the digital images is required to reach a definitive conclusion. The minister emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and that the images are currently being processed by forensic experts to verify their authenticity and origin.

There is currently no public response from Thomas Markle Sr. regarding these specific allegations. The investigation remains in its preliminary stages as authorities work to determine the nature of the recovered files and whether they are linked to any criminal activity. Because the report relies primarily on the initial claims made by a family member and the preliminary comments of a government official, the full scope of the evidence remains unverified by independent judicial proceedings.