Sonny O summoned for preliminary inquiry

TAGAYTAY CITY — The city prosecutor’s office asked re-electionist Sen. John "Sonny" Osmeña to appear on April 21 for the preliminary investigation into the rape charges filed against him by a male prostitute. The lawmaker has denied the allegations.

In a complaint filed the other day, 24-year-old Diego Gomez accused Osmeña of forcibly inserting his finger into his anus, an act violative of Republic Act 8353, or the Anti-Rape Law.

Under RA 8353, insertion of the penis or anything into the sex organ, mouth or anus of the victim, whether male or female, is considered rape.

Gomez claimed that his regular pimp, a certain Mike, brought him to this city last February for a "show."

He said he and Osmeña agreed on the use of a condom and not to engage in anal sex. But he said he felt dizzy after a shot of scotch and found himself handcuffed to a bed’s post.

Osmeña, he alleged, forcibly entered his finger into his anus.

He claimed that the senator paid him P15,000, five times his regular asking price of P3,000.

Osmeña accused former President Fidel Ramos yesterday to be behind the controversy. But Ramos’ spokesman Ed Malay denied this in a television interview.

Osmeña said the rape complaint was part of propaganda to discourage voters from electing him to another Senate term.

He presented a copy of the minutes of the Senate’s Feb. 5 session showing him to be present that day when the supposed rape took place.

He said the session that day started at 3:59 p.m. and ended at 12:31 a.m. "That night, we had voting regarding the Manapat report and my name was also indicated there," he said.

"Only one detail, the matter of time and date, has proven him (Gomez) to be a liar," he said. "That is a plain and simple truth. This was a cooked-up political hatchet job." — With Jose Rodel Clapano