Minor arrested for "raping" 3-year-old neighbor

CEBU, Philippines - A 17-year-old boy was arrested by the tanods of Barangay Lipayran in Bantayan town last Wednesday evening for allegedly raping his three-year-old neighbor at a secluded area in the said place.

Ron (not his real name), an out of school youth, is now jailed at the Bantayan police stockade. He was turned over by the barangay tanods to the police station at around 6:00 last Thursday evening.

PO3 Jesus Aguisanda, of the Bantayan police station, said the victim’s mother accompanied the child to the police station last Thursday morning and reported the incident.

The victim’s mother told the police that her daughter was outside their house at around 3:00 in the afternoon last Wednesday when Ron reportedly saw the victim and asked her to go with him.The little girl was allegedly brought to a secluded place where Ron molested her.

A neighbor of the victim happened to pass by the area and saw what Casipong did. She then reported the incident to the victim’s mother.

“Giingnan sa silingan ang inahan nga inig uli sa bata ipapangutana kung unsay nahitabo. (The neighbor told the mother to ask her daughter what happened),” Aguisada said.

When the child arrived home, she was interrogated by her mother until what happened was disclosed.

The victim reportedly admitted that Casipong inserted his finger to her private part. The suspect even threatened to cut off the victim’s head if she would tell anyone.

Upon knowing this, the mother immediately went to Ron’s house and confronted the suspect who managed to escape but was later arrested in the same barangay by the tanods and was later taken to the police station.

The victim was taken to the pink room of the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for medical examination.

Criminal charges against the suspect is being prepared to be filed in court next week.— (FREEMAN)