CEBU, Philippines - A four-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 20-year-old trisikad driver inside the comfort room of the Mansilang Barangay Hall in the island town of Madridejos on Sunday noon, during the barangay’s fiesta celebration.
Ryan Rosatase of sitio Caltex, Barangay Talangnan is now detained at the Madridejos police stockade. Two barangay tanods caught him as he was trying to elude arrest.
It was a five-year-old girl, a cousin of the four-year-old victim, who saw what happened.
Municipal Social Welfare and Development Officer Merva de la Fuente said that the victim was playing near the barangay hall with her six-year-old brother and cousin.
The victim went to the female comfort room to wash her hands. At that time, Rosatase was at the male comfort room.
Rosatase called the victim and convinced her to get inside the male comfort room in exchange for one peso. The child accepted.
The five-year-old cousin claimed that she went to the comfort room to call the other girl when she saw what happened. The boy, who was looking at the cousin, wondered why the girl looked shocked. This prompted him to go nearer.
The boy also saw what was going on so he threw a stone at Rosatase, forcing the suspect to get up and leave.
The two kids immediately sought the help of barangay councilor Jovy Lukaylukay, who then informed barangay captain Doroteo Dorimon.
Dorimon commanded barangay tanods Leonilo Siblero and Sandro Gallego to arrest Rosatase.
The social welfare officer accompanied the victim and mother to the Bantayan District Hospital, where the attending physician confirmed there was laceration.
Police Officer 2 Carlo Mondejar said that a rape case is set to be filed today at the Regional Trial Court in Bogo City.
Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, chairman of the Provincial Committee on Women, Family and Minors, told The FREEMAN that they will have the child undergo a counseling program and physical examination.
“If our social welfare in the town can not have the child undergo counseling, we will be bringing the child here (Cebu City) for support,” Magpale said. — (FREEMAN)