2 teens accused of raping girl, 11

An 11-year-old grade one pupil was allegedly raped by two teenagers in barangay Bato, Badian town, last Saturday afternoon, just about 50 meters away from her house.

One of the suspects is her cousin while the other is her neighbor.

Duty desk officer PO2 Emmanuel Caballero yesterday told The Freeman that the girl left home Friday night to buy pad paper but did not return that night. This prompted her worried parents to seek the assistance of their neighbors to look for her but they came home empty-handed.

But Dennis Cedeño, one of the victim's neighbors who helped to look for her, found her last Saturday afternoon among the thick bushes of the place and immediately reported the incident to the police station.

The responding team led by SPO3 Rufino Tabañag immediately responded the alarm and went to the crime scene.

Upon reaching at the crime scene the responding team saw the victim lying among the bushes, she did not have clothing on the lower part of her body and was very weak and pale.

"Bun-og kaayo ang bata unya nagkadugo ang iyang kinatawo, makasuti siya pero di makabarog maong gidali pagdala sa ospital", Caballero said.

They then immediately brought the victim to Badian District Hospital for treatment and the attending physician told police that the girl had indeed been raped, Caballero said.

At the hospital, the victim revealed the names of the boys who raped her and immediately the responding policemen went back to the barangay and arrested the two suspects who are both 17 year olds.

Caballero yesterday told the Freeman that one of the suspects was arrested in his house about 100 meters away from the house of the victim while the other one, the cousin, was arrested in barangay Calangkang, the neighboring barangay of barangay Bato, while he was helping to harvest coconuts for copra.

The victim is now at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center for further treatment.

Caballero further revealed that the first suspect who was arrested is a notorious thief in their place and has just escaped from the Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth in Argao town that same day. He was detained there a month ago for a theft case.

Caballero said the same suspect was seen riding a bus to Badian last Friday, then the incident happened that night when the suspect reached their place.

"Kining usa ka suspek nga ig-agaw sa victim, nadala ra ni siya sa usa ka suspek kay silingan ra man ni sila, wala man ni siya record dinhi kani nuon ang usa kay noted man ning kawatan dinhi," said Caballero.

Caballero said that both suspects, who admitted to the crime, are now detained at the municipal jail awaiting the filing of charges against them today. - Norvie S. Misa/BRP