Last Updated on June 19, 2022
Alden Bunag, a teacher from Oahu, Hawaii, was arrested and charged with distributing child pornography, as well as having an intimate relationship with a 13-year old student, according to a report from KHON in Honolulu. Bunag admitted to authorities that he would engage in sexual acts with the 13-year old boy during breaks, then send pictures and videos of the acts to a friend online. Bunag also admitted to sexual encounters with other minors. He reportedly sent at least 3,392 messages, with many of them containing pictures and videos of said sexual encounters. Currently, Bunag is in custody until his next hearing.
Bunag’s associate was arrested last October in Philadelphia on child pornography charges after authorities found the explicit material in his possession. The friend — who had received Bunag’s messages — was also a teacher.
With relation to Bunag’s confession, former Hawaii state Attorney General Doug Chin observed a pattern between Alden Bunag and other child sex offenders. “It’s telling how the suspect confessed to the crimes. That goes to show how a lot of times when people are involved in these kinds of crime, they do think they can get away with it,” Chin told reporters.
Chin also observed that in many cases, child sex offenders do not have prior police records. “Oftentimes, they have no other contact with a law enforcement system and that shock actually results in a pretty quick confession, which appears to be what happened here,” he added.
Perhaps most ironic about this story is how Bunag repeatedly denied that “grooming” was a thing. Bunag, who on Twitter refers to himself as a “socialist”, has several tweets criticizing policies such as the Parental Rights in Education law in Florida (the “Don’t Say Gay” law according to those on the left) and right-wing rhetoric surrounding such policies. He criticized someone who called him a “groomer” for being against legislation such as this, even going so far as accusing the right of “projection” when they use this rhetoric.
— Defiant L’s (@DefiantLs) June 18, 2022
https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/1537928261467983872?s=20&t=aJfXkcQROIHd4Ys2fDHaqA
Some of the tweets that Bunag posted criticizing those on the right were crafted after his friend in Philadelphia was arrested for possessing child pornography. Hence, these tweets were written well after Bunag himself had been engaging in inappropriate behavior that far surpasses the “grooming” that he denies the existence of.
