Maguindanao vice mayor dared to submit self to probe on rape

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Leila de Lima dared South Upi, Maguindanao Vice Mayor Jordan Ibrahim to submit himself to investigation to disprove allegations that he was involved in the rape of a 21-year-old volunteer nurse in their town last month.

In a press conference in her office in Manila, De Lima said she has ordered the National Bureau of Investigation and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group unit of the Philippine National Police in the province to contact Ibrahim to check if he is still willing to undergo DNA testing in connection with ongoing probes on the rape incident.

The vice mayor had earlier agreed to submit to the investigation, but later on backed out upon advice of his lawyers. He was told to participate in the probes only when he is already considered as suspect in the crime, De Lima said.

“I wanted the NBI and CIDG to give me an update within the day if the vice mayor is still willing to submit DNA samples. Because if not, then he might be considered now a suspect,” the Justice chief warned.

De Lima said that investigators received information linking Ibrahim to the incident. She said the vice mayor and Melchor Fulgencio, the suspect who had admitted raping the nurse but later on retracted, were together when they followed the victim “Florence” (not her real name) on her way out of the videoke bar in Barangay Timanan on Sept. 25.

“We received information that the vice mayor was in the area – the videoke bar. When Florence left that place, Fulgencio and the vice mayor allegedly followed her, according to certain informants who refused to come out for fear of their lives,” she said.

But the Justice secretary said this information seems to be in conflict with another information received by probers that it would be unlikely for Fulgencio to cover up for the vice mayor because he is supporting the family that is in dispute with that of Ibrahim over a property.

“These are conflicting reports,” she said.

Hot spot during election

De Lima admitted that the NBI and CIDG have yet to get a witness willing to testify in the investigation: “It’s important that we get witnesses. It’s very difficult. Remember, South Upi is in Maguindanao and it is a hot spot during election.”

“The locals are very scared to speak. The vice mayor seems to be a very powerful man there,” De Lima lamented.

Ibrahim was implicated in the incident after forensic tests conducted by the NBI had revealed that neither Fulgencio nor any of the six suspects earlier arrested but later released for lack of evidence was responsible for the rape.

De Lima said the owner of the videoke bar and another man present in the scene were also subjected to DNA tests, which yielded negative results.

“But Fulgencio is still a suspect – a co-principal or accomplice,” she clarified.

Fulgencio, a former militiaman, said he and a certain “alias Edwin” committed the crime. He claimed that he tried to also rape Florence but failed because he was already too drunk. Later, he retracted his “admission,” saying he was only forced to make that statement.

De Lima said they are considering transferring Florence to a hospital in Manila upon recovery.

“She still can’t identify the perpetrators. We’re waiting for the advice of the doctors, and up to now they said she still can’t talk to investigators,” she added.