The News Portsmouth 3rd June 2000

David Clarke is pleased his brother Michael became a Christian before his death in New Bilibid Prison in the Philippines where he was serving a sentence for promoting child prostitution.

By Guy Walker

The News

WHEN David Clarke discovered his brother had been sentenced to 16 years for promoting child prostitution he cut all ties with him.

The committed Christian from Fareham believed his brother Michael had got what he deserved for his immoral life. See Eastbourne Herald May 20, 1995. And then Eastbourne Gazette 24th May 1995. Michael had run a business organizing trips for British men to sample the sex trade in the Philippines.

But David never stopped thinking about his brother and eventually restored contact when he heard he had become a Christian.

The renewed relationship between the brothers also led to the creation of a ministry at New Bilibid Prison in the Philippines. As outlined in the book “Trojan Warriors”. But Michael who had served 10 years of his sentence, died last week from Tuberculosis. The 58-year-old father-of-one was just a few weeks from being released.

CHILD SEX LINK DENIED

MICHAEL Clarke

Discovered the Philippines and its cheap sex trade in 1995 when he set himself up as a tour operator.

He placed an advertisement under the name of Paradise Express

in Exchange and Mart and produced brochures.

While he never denied the involvement in the Adult sex trade he has always claimed he’d never been involved in child prostitution and has been a victim of a set-up.

He was on of the first Westerners convicted following an agreement between the British and Philippine authorities to crack down on British men participating in the child sex trade.

David, a 56 year-old a retired Lecturer of Hayling Close said, “Michael died a very sad death in not the very best of places, in a country so far away from his home and family in England. But I’m not bitter about his death as good has come from it.

The two brothers were notorious criminals in Buckinghamshire where they lived in the 1960’s. David turned his back on crime when at 20 he became a Christian, but his brother went further off the rails, which ultimately led him to him finding himself in prison.

Michael became a Christian in prison after he built a relationship with Albert (Sunny) Wilson, an English taxi driver who was on Death Row, for rape. He was acquitted in 1999 after serving three years and gave Michael a copy of Mere Christianity by CS Lewis.

Reading the book led Michael to be baptized in a 45-gallon oil drum at the prison.

David began visiting his brother and together they set up the Trojan Horse International (TULIP) Phils. Inc. in the Philippines and UK. Which has five Philippines pastors.

Michael Clarke being baptized in a barrel

at New Bilibid Prison

David said: “It took him 30 years longer than me”.

Michael is being buried in Philippines, in Olongopo City, just at the base of Preda Foundation Headquarters, who’s director is Fr. Shay Cullen who was responsible for Michael’s arrest and wrongful imprisonment and a memorial service is being held at the Bierton Strict Baptist Chapel in Aylesbury on 19th Portsmouth June 2005.

Michael’s Tomb Stone

David’s new book tells the whole story in the form of Michael and David’s life. Go to www.convertedonlsdtrip.com