Rape suspect arrested after mass wedding

CEBU, Philippines -  A rape suspect in Balamban, Cebu was arrested last Tuesday morning right after his wedding ceremony at the San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church in barangay Poblacion, Malabuyoc.

Leonel “Waray” Manabat, 27, of barangay Vito, Balamban was arrested by the Malabuyoc policemen after PO2 Donna Bella Ybañez sighted him in a mass wedding ceremony.

Manabat’s arrest was by virtue of a warrant for three accounts of rape in relation to Republic Act 7610 issued by Judge Hermes Montero of the Regional Trial Court Branch 59 in Toledo City.

Ybañez, a former Women and Children’s Protection Desk officer in Balamban, said the minor victim reported the incident a few weeks after she was raped.

Manabat already escaped when they conducted a manhunt operation.

 Ybañez who assumed post as WCPD officer in Malabuyoc last March told The FREEMAN that she sighted the suspect during a mass wedding at the San Nicolas de Tolentino Parish Church in barangay Poblacion.

She then called the Balamban Police Station and asked to have the warrant faxed.

The police waited until the wedding ceremony was done before they arrested Manabat.

Manabat admitted that he had a pending warrant of arrest.

He is now detained in Balamban police stockade after he was turned over by the Malabuyoc police.

Meanwhile, an inmate at the Mandaue City Jail joined 48 other couples in tying the knot at a Mass wedding in that city and then went back to jail after the ceremony. (See story on page 13.) (FREEMAN)