18 raped daily during quarantine

MANILA, Philippines — An average of 18 persons a day have been raped in the country during the community quarantine.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) said yesterday 3,016 people nationwide were sexually assaulted from March 17 to Aug. 31, or an average of 18 people daily.

The daily average has more than doubled compared to eight cases a day last May when Metro Manila and some parts of the country were under a stricter modified enhanced community quarantine.

The PNP did not go into details on the areas with the highest number of cases and if there are children among the victims.

The overall figure is lower by 26.09 percent, or an average of 24 victims a day, compared to 4,081 cases recorded from Oct 1, 2019 to March 16, before the government imposed quarantine restrictions to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Girl, 4, raped, slain

A four-year-old girl was raped and killed by a 17-year-old boy who claimed to be under the influence of alcohol in Barangay 175, Camarin, Caloocan on Sunday.

The girl went missing just as her father was preparing to go to a birthday celebration, police investigator S/Sgt. Mark Bartolome said yesterday.

A witness told police the girl was last seen with the teenager, who pointed to the location of the body when police accosted him.

Her body, covered by leaves at an abandoned lot, was found with head wounds and without lower garments.

The suspect told police he was under the influence of alcohol when the crime happened. He underwent inquest proceedings yesterday for rape with homicide, Bartolome said.