No bail for man accused of molesting schoolgirl

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office did not recommend bail for the man accused of abusing an 11-year-old schoolgirl.

Prosecutor II Noel Cellona held a 27-year-old man, a resident of Cebu City, for trial for the crime of rape.

“…with the use of force, threat or intimidation upon the person of a minor with deliberate intent, did then and there willfully and unlawfully sexually abused a 11-year- old, without the consent and against the latter’s will,” the charge sheet reads.

Aside from the fact that the victim is a minor, The FREEMAN is withholding the name of the victim, as well as that of the accused, owing to the sensitive nature of the case. The accused was also the live-in partner of the victim’s eldest sister.

In a sworn statement, the victim alleged that after her parents separated, she and her siblings choose to stay with her mother. However, when her mother went abroad to work, she stayed with her elder sister. It was there that her sister’s live-in partner allegedly maltreated her.

At around 6:45 on February 14, the minor said accused got angry at her for arriving late. The accused then allegedly hit her several times with an arnis stick. She said she was only at her classmate’s house at that time answering the National Achievement Test reviewer and for a dance practice.

The victim also alleged that the accused mauled her when she forgot to throw the garbage.

Prior to these, the accused also allegedly abused her sexually until such time that she started having her monthly periods.

The victim said she went to the police station together with her neighbor to report the incident and did not tell her sister about her ordeal because her sister reportedly would not believe her. — JMO  (FREEMAN)