MANILA, Philippines — Director General Oscar Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police, vowed that the police would show "no mercy" if a rookie cop accused of raping a drug suspect’s 15-year-old daughter is found guilty.
In a press conference on Monday, Albayalde said that the rookie cop accused of abusing the victim of a couple apprehended in a drug sting is now under the custody of the National Capital Regional Police Office.
READ: Cop nabbed for rape of girl, 15
PO1 Eduardo Valencia of the Manila Police District was arrested after the girl’s relatives sought help from authorities.
Director Guillermo Eleazar, National Capital Region Police Office chief, went to the police station to berate Valencia.
Valencia denies allegation
Valencia denied the accusation and said that he has his own family and the alleged victim of abuse coulbe be his own daughter.
The rookie cop also said that such accusations being thrown at police operatives “are not new," implying the allegation is payback for the drug operation.
But Eleazar told him it was already the victim saying the accusation and a medical examination showed there was laceration on the girl’s private parts that indicate that she was sexually abused.
Albayalde said Valencia is already under investigation.
“And we want to assure the public that we will show no mercy sa mga pulis na ganito, if siya ay mapatunayan na guilty diyan both admin at criminally will be charged,” Albayalde added.
(And we want to assure the public that we will show no mercy to police like him, if it would be proven that he is guilty, he will face both administrative and criminal charges.)
Meanwhile, Eleazar told DzBB on Monday morning that the victim is already under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
He also said that the police suspect seemed to be making alibis to get out of the accusation against him.
Binay: Raise age for statutory rape
Sen. Nancy Binay said that some use the lower age of consent in the Philippines to get away from receiving higher penalties.
The Philippines’s age of consent is set at 12. In July, Binay filed a resolution seeking to raise the age of consent to 16 years old.
“For now, our anti-rape law says it will only be considered statutory rape if the child is below 12 years old or is mentally challenge. As parents, it is our commitment to protect our children from sexual predators,” she added in a mix of English and Filipino.
A similar bill seeking to raise the age of consent in statutory rape was also filed by Sen. Leila De Lima and Risa Hontiveros — Kristine Joy Patag