Cop pleads not guilty to rape charge

MANILA, Philippines - A Pasay City police officer on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to charges of allegedly raping the common-law-wife of a detainee.

Appearing before the Pasay Regional Trial Court Branch 119 under Judge Pedro deleon Gutierrez, Police Officer 1 Jonathan Castro pleaded not guilty to the accusation that he raped the wife of a detainee, whom he and PO1 Marvin Panaga arrested.

Both policemen are members of the Pasay City Police Community Precinct 10.

The husband of the alleged raped woman earlier claimed that Castro and Panaga arrested him for alleged drug possession. He also accused the two policemen of extorting P40,000 in exchange for his release.

The man later claimed that his wife only managed to raise P14,000. Castro then allegedly sexually attacked the woman inside a parked police patrol car to make up for the “balance.”

A robbery complaint against the two policemen was remanded to the Pasay City Prosecutor’s Office after Gutierrez granted the motion of Panaga's lawyer to hold a preliminary investigation first. Castro's counsel had earlier waived a preliminary investigation at the city prosecutor's office.

The court has ordered the city prosecutor's office to submit the results of the investigation within 30 days. The rape charge against Castro was set to be heard by the court on February 20.