Filipino cruise ship employee nabbed in Florida over hidden cams in bathrooms

NEW YORK CITY — A Filipino working in a cruise ship was apprehended in Florida over the weekend for allegedly installing hidden cameras in guest bathrooms.

The 34-year-old Filipino employed as a stateroom attendant has admitted to placing hidden cameras in bathrooms on the Symphony of the Seas cruise ship, according to the arrest report from the Broward County Sheriff's Office obtained by GMA Integrated News.

The report said a victim, who was a minor, noticed a hidden camera beneath the sink in their private bathroom and reported it to security. 

While conducting an investigation, ship security observed the suspect entering the rooms of the victims.

As a result, the suspect was apprehended by security and confined in a guarded room until the cruise ship returned to the Florida dock where he was handed over to the police.

Upon seizing the suspect's electronic devices, law enforcement investigators discovered various nude videos of ship passengers, including minors.

The Filipino suspect confessed to investigators that he had placed the hidden cameras in the victims' cabins. He also admitted to hiding under passengers' beds to film them while changing clothes, a practice he claimed to have engaged in since December 2023, citing a lack of self-control.

The suspect is detained at Broward County Jail awaiting his court appearance. He is facing six counts of video voyeurism, producing child pornography, and possessing child pornography.

The incident has raised concerns about passenger safety and privacy aboard cruise ships, prompting calls for stricter security measures and employee screening procedures. —KBK, GMA Integrated News