Boy also sued for rape, killing of girl in Carcar

Rape and homicide charges were finally filed yesterday at the Regional Trial Court against a male juvenile, who admitted participation in the rape-slay of a 13-year old girl in Carcar on September 6, 2004, by the victim's father and uncle.

Cebu provincial prosecutor Pepita Jane Petralba concurred with the findings of prosecutor Luis Calderon who recommended the indictment of the boy at the RTC family court, after the victim's father, Maximo Laputan, and uncle Concordio were charged of the same offense earlier.

The boy, in a previous affidavit, pointed at Maximo and Concordio as those who allegedly raped the girl Maylin. His testimony became the basis of the police in filing the charges against the two suspects.

But after the indictment of the two, the boy executed an extra-judicial confession that he too participated in raping the girl.

Based on such confession, done in the presence of lawyer Francisco Amit, the Commission on Human Rights recommended the filing of criminal charges against the boy.

The boy confessed that Maximo and Concordio allegedly convinced him to join them, for which he obliged. He recalled that the Laputans were drinking coconut wine (tuba) first when they hatched the plan to rape the girl.

He alleged that it was Maximo who grabbed his daughter while Concordio stabbed her before carrying the victim to a cornfield where they took turns in raping her.

Maximo was allegedly the first one, then Concordio, the boy claimed, adding that he was the last one who raped the dying child.

Some legal experts described the prosecutors' move of filing a separate case against the boy as not wise, suggesting that an amended information could have been filed instead that would include the boy with Maximo and Concordio, as respondents.

But Petralba said they have a reason for doing so, but should the court decides to hear the case along with the one filed against Maximo and Concordio, then she would not oppose. - Rene U. Borromeo