Girl,13, raped by father

CEBU, Philippines - A 41-year-old fisherman was arrested for raping his 13-year-old daughter in Barangay Patao, Bantayan town, last Wednesday.

It was the victim, accompanied by her 17-year-old brother, who went to the Bantayan Police Station and revealed that her father had been raping her since June 16.

The girl said it was around midnight of June 16 when her father sexually abused her for the first time and threatened to kill her and her siblings should she tell others what happened.

The victim further claimed that her father continued to rape her until they were discovered by her elder brother, said SPO1 Lary Ilustrisimo, officer-in-charge of the Bantayan Police Station.

Ilustrisimo said the victim’s brother accidentally read a text message in her cellular phone disclosing her ordeal to her mother, who is working in Manila.

He then confronted the victim about the incident and she admitted.

Their father was around when this happened and both siblings ran away after the suspect threatened to kill them. The two arrived at the police station at past 10 a.m. accompanied by a barangay councilman. 

Ilustrisimo said they then arrested the suspect, who just surrendered and even admitted to the crime.

The suspect said drunkenness prompted her to rape his daughter, a reason which is far from being justifiable, said the police station head.  The suspect was detained and is set to face a case for rape before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutors Office today.

The victim underwent medical examination at the Pink Room of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center and also underwent psychological evaluation. Ilustrisimo said the victim was deeply traumatized by what her father did to her as well as his death threat.

The victim and her two younger siblings are now under custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. (FREEMAN)