Philippine police say they have filed a complaint for child trafficking against a vacationing Italian diplomat arrested at a resort south of Manila in the company of three street boys aged 9 to 12.

Senior Supt Romulo Sapitula today said police arrested Daniele Bosio on Saturday at a resort in Laguna province, where members of the child rights group Bahay Tuluyan were also on an outing, became suspicious and alerted authorities.

The 46-year-old Italian is a diplomat in Turkmenistan and was on a holiday in the Philippines. The Italian Embassy did not immediately comment.