Sex raps vs Indian

A 26-year-old Indian national was jailed the other day after a first year high school student complained to the police that he had sexually molested her in Caloocan City.

Palwender Singh, married, residing at Lot 19, Phase 3, Dagat-Dagatan, Caloocan City, voluntarily surrendered to the police after learning of the complaint.

At around 11 a.m. Thursday, the 13-year-old victim told probers, the suspect mashed her breasts inside the victim’s house.

Police gathered that Singh, a money lender, went to the victim’s house to collect a loan taken out by the victim’s mother. Sensing that the victim was alone in the house, the suspect allegedly gave in to his desire for the young girl.

When the girl resisted his advances, the suspect quickly let go and left. The girl reported the incident to barangay officials who referred the case to the Women’s and Children’s Protection Desk (WCPD) of the Caloocan City police.

The suspect is jailed at the police detention center and charges of acts of lasciviousness are being prepared by police.

Also in Caloocan City, the police arrested Thursday night five youths suspected to be members of an organized crime group responsible for highway robbery-holdup cases in the city, police said yesterday.

The young suspects were identified as Christopher Alberto, 15; Servoza, 16; Basilio Almonia, 16; Rico Romenas, 18; and Francisco Banal, 18, all of Caloocan City, except Banal (Valenzuela City).

Inspector Marcelo Mariano, city police follow-up operations and detective unit chief, said he and his men conducted an entrapment operation in Barangay Sta. Quiteria, Caloocan City at Km. 13 of the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX).

Mariano said the operation was prompted by complaints from motorists victimized by the group. Mariano said they were looking into the possibility that the suspects might be responsible for the serious wounding of Dagupan City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 43 Judge Silverio Castillo and his 15-year-old son, Joseph last Dec. 14, 2001 after they fought back highway robbers who robbed them after they had a flat tire and was forced to stop on the road shoulder.

The suspects were arrested after PO1 Reynaldo Evangelista, an intelligence officer, pretended that his car had suffered mechanical trouble. Minutes later, the suspects emerged and took the officer’s wallet.

Unknown to the suspects, Mariano and his men, on board other vehicles parked not far from the area, sped to the scene and immediately collared the five suspects but two others managed to escape.

Recovered from the suspects was Evangelista’s wallet, P2,250 in cash, and important documents. Also found in the suspects’ possession were a 10-inch dagger and an eight-inch fan knife.

Criminal charges have been filed against the suspects while a manhunt is on going for their two cohorts. — Jerry Botial