Rape suspect nabbed in hot pursuit

CEBU, Philippines - A 28-year-old man accused of raping two minors inside a motel was arrested yesterday outside the university he was enrolled in for culinary arts.

Jake Noe Ferrer Muana of Sitio Lamac, Barangay Yati, Liloan was arrested by the operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-7 in Barangay Talamban. His victims who reportedly came from affluent families in Cebu identified Muana as the man whom they have acquainted and invited them last Friday to a drinking spree.

The victims, aged 17 years old, claimed that they knew the suspect through a common friend. They are also enrolled in the same university.

According to the victims, the suspect invited them for lunch last Friday to which they obliged. After lunch the suspect again invited them to join him in a drinking session which lasted for several hours. One of the victims claimed she passed out in the middle of the drinking session.

The victims said that Muana took advantage of their situation and brought them to a motel in Mandaue City where they were allegedly raped.

CIDG-7 Metro Cebu chief Fermin Armendarez III said that one of the victims was raped twice while the other was raped once.

“The victims were conscious during the incident. They tried to resist but they were too weak and drunk,” Armendarez said.

When the victims woke up at 10:00 p.m. the suspect was already gone. The victims went home and reported what had happened to their parents.

The victims were referred by their respective boyfriend to lawyer Inocencio dela Cerna over the weekend. Dela Cerna, who is also legal counsel of CIDG-7, referred the case to the CIDG-7 operatives.

A hot pursuit operation was conducted yesterday resulting to the arrest of Muana. Criminal charges for rape in relation to the Republic Act 7610 are now being readied against him.–(FREEMAN)