CEBU, Philippines - A high school student was arrested by the Malabuyoc police shortly before evening last Saturday in Sitio Kanipaan, Barangay Poblacion I for a rape case.
The 20-year-old suspect was pacifying trouble at a basketball court in the said place when police took him to the police station.
The suspect was accused of raping a 15-year-old victim about two years ago.
His arrest was by virtue of an arrest warrant for rape in relation to RA 7610 signed by Judge James Stewart Ramon Himalaloan of the Regional Trial Court Branch 26 in Oslob.
The police refused to disclose the names of those involved for confidentiality purposes due to the nature of the case.
PO2 Belladona Ybañez, Women’s and Children Protection Desk Officer, said they received a telephone call of a trouble alarm prior to the suspect’s arrest. This prompted a team of policemen to go to the area.
But during investigation, the police learned that it was the suspect who pacified the trouble.
“Kahibalo na ang police nga duna siya’y warrant timing lang nga didto siya, (The police already knew about his warrant, he just happened to be there.)” Ybañez said in a phone interview.
The case was committed by the suspect about two years ago.The victim is now 17 years old.
Ybañez recalled that it was in the evening of the fiesta celebration of the barangay where the victim lived when she saw the suspect.
The victim was watching an event when the suspect approached her.
Both were friends as claimed by the victim but this was opposed by the suspect who said they had a relationship.
Ybañez said the suspect then took the victim to a secluded and dark place where the victim was allegedly raped.
The incident reportedly caused trauma to the victim because after the incident she wanted to stay home and refused to go to school. —(FREEMAN)