SEX tours, paedophiles, mail-order brides and spouse abuse are likely to be major issues confronting President Fidel Ramos during his state visit to Australia and New Zealand this week, even though he and his hosts would like to focus on economics.
The sex angle received added publicity when President Ramos told Australian journalists he was in favour of the death penalty for child molesters on the same day an alleged Australian paedophile was arrested in the paedophile haunt of Pagsanjan Falls, south of Manila.
Lee Jesse Montana, 64, of Brisbane, was the first Australian to be arrested under legislation allowing alleged paedophiles to be tried under Australian law for offences committed overseas.
The Philippines, which re-instituted the death penalty in January 1994, said it would like to try foreign paedophiles on its own soil.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Immigration said yesterday it was acting on a briefing paper from the Australian Government to hunt down five of Australia's most-wanted paedophiles and perverts.
The problems of mail-order brides, serial sponsorship of wives and a growing pattern of spouse abuse, including 18 murders, are also likely to plague President Ramos when he arrives in New Zealand tomorrow and Sydney on Friday.
But Mr Ramos, dwelling on economic issues, said the three countries could do a lot to help each other.
