Alleged rapist of young girl arrested in Taguig

A repairman suspected of abducting and raping a 15-year-old girl was arrested Monday afternoon by the Taguig police.

The suspect was identified as Norberto Culimbres, a native of Iloilo, and said to be working at a medical equipment repair shop in Barangay Vasra, Quezon City.

Culimbres was placed under surveillance for two days before authorities arrested him in Quezon City at around 5 p.m., said Inspector Virgilio Pagtama, chief of the Taguig police Station Investigation Division (SID).

Pagtama said medico-legal examination confirmed that the girl was raped.

Investigation showed that the victim, a student from Kalsada Tipas, Taguig, was reported missing last July 1. She was last seen talking to Culimbres on a street at around 6 a.m., while she was on her way to school.

Pagtama said police managed to pinpoint Culimbres’ whereabouts after the victim’s brother-in-law showed them a business card with the suspect’s name on it. Culimbres has reportedly gave away his card to "promote" his business, Pagtama said.

Pagtama added that his team received information that Culimbres traveled around Metro Manila and Cavite with the girl, before he brought her home over the weekend.

Nevertheless, the girl’s family filed a formal complaint before the police. According to Pagtama, the girl told the police that Culimbres promised to treat her out to lunch if she went with him. –Nikko Dizon