Pangasinan child rape cases: Fathers are usual suspects

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan, Philippines—At least 45 of 107 rape cases involving children in this province this year were allegedly committed by their own fathers or stepfathers, according to a report of the Women’s and Children Protection Desk  (WCPD) released yesterday.

The suspects in at least four cases were grandfathers, while boyfriends were involved in 20 cases; relatives, 49; and neighbors, 17.

Nineteen victims were six years old and younger, 17 were aged 15, 13 were 16 years old, 10 were 13 and 10 cases involved 14-year-old victims.

Most of the suspects were between 36 to 45 years old and were either unemployed or self-employed.

The report said there were also 36 rape cases involving women reported this year, representing a 300 percent increase compared to only nine cases last year. Most of the victims were aged 18 to 25.  

Chief Inspector Genevieve Poblete, head of the WCPD, told The STAR that Urdaneta City had 13 recorded cases; Dagupan City, 15; Calasiao,  11; Bayambang, 9; Malasiqui, eight; and Alaminos City, 7.

There was no reported rape case in Sto. Tomas, Pozorrubio, Villasis, Natividad, San Quintin, Urbiztondo and Sta. Barbara towns.