Rapist gets 3 life terms

A carpenter was sentenced yesterday by the Antipolo court to three life terms for raping his 11-year-old daughter.

Executive Judge Mauricio Rivera of the Antipolo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 73 also ordered the accused Fidel Marquez of Tanay, Rizal to indemnify his daughter the sum of P120,000 in moral damages.

Court records showed that Marquez, using force and intimidation, succeeded in having sexual intercourse with his daughter against her will.

During the arraignment of the case, Marquez had pleaded not guilty to charges he raped his daughter thrice from March 1997 to April 1999.

However, Marquez changed his plea to guilty despite Rivera’s explanation of the consequences of his action.

At the re-arraignment of the case last April 11, Marquez pleaded guilty on the three charges filed against him.

"Wherefore premises considered accused Fidel Marquez is hereby sentenced to suffer the penalty of reclusion perpetua for each count, considering his admission and plea," Rivera said in his two-page decision.– Non Alquitran