Hospital employee raped, stabbed in Valenzuela

MANILA, Philippines - A 38-year-old employee of a tertiary hospital in Quezon City was robbed, raped and left for dead by her neighbor’s caretaker in Valenzuela City Friday morning.

The woman survived the ordeal and sought help from barangay watchmen patrolling the area.

Police officers arrested Rolando Baleza, 38, just as he was about to flee the area, Valenzuela police chief Senior Superintendent Rhoderick Armamento said.

Armamento said Baleza, who lives next door to the woman, reportedly sneaked into her house at around 1 a.m. by inserting his hand into a hole left by a damaged decorative block on the door and turning the door knob from inside. 

Baleza went to the woman’s room, where he started looting her valuables. When the woman woke up, Baleza held a pair of scissors against her neck and raped her, Armamento said.

When the woman fought him, Baleza stabbed her repeatedly. Thinking he had killed her, Baleza left her house with her valuables.

The woman crawled out of her house and sought help from barangay watchmen. She was taken to the Valenzuela Medical Center while the watchmen reported the attack to the Valenzuela Police Community Precinct 1.

Police officers who arrested Baleza recovered some of the woman’s belongings – including a laptop, a CD/DVD ROM and an external hard drive – from the suspect, who was charged with robbery, frustrated homicide, and rape before the Valenzuela prosecutor’s office.