Apduhan case V-Gov: Victim suffers Stockholm syndrome

CEBU, Philippines - The prosecution in the illegal detention case against an alleged cult leader in Balamban will present today a psychologist to counter the testimony of the victim who testified in favor of the accused during the last hearing.

Vice Governor Agnes Magpale, co-chairperson of the Provincial Women’s Commission, said the psychologist will convince the court that the testimony of Emma Nepomuceno should not be given weight as the latter was allegedly suffering from Stockholm syndrome, a psychological phenomenon in which a hostage tends to empathize and sympathize with his or her captor.

Alleged cult leader Casiano Apduhan Jr. is facing charges of serious illegal detention before  the Regional Trial Court in Toledo City for allegedly detaining Nepomuceno for five years.

But Nepomuceno, in the last hearing, belied that she was detained. She told the court that it was her personal choice to stay in the house and that Apduhan couple treated her like their daughter.

The psychologist is expected to discuss today the Stockholm  syndrome which the prosecution believes is being experienced by Nepomuceno.

The prosecution also presented last week Eleuterio Repuela, one of Apduhan’s followers,  who told the court that Nepomuceno was indeed held by the accused.

Repuela explained that Nepomuceno was always in a room at the second floor of Apduhan’s house where he could hear her cry. He said he was ordered to bring her food and water in the room that was padlocked.

Repuela is the father of the 15-year-old boy whose remains were found in a 30-foot tunnel under Apduhan’s house during the operation conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation-7. It was during the operation that Nepomuceno was rescued. — (FREEMAN)