Man who sexually abused 15-yr-old cannot post bail

CEBU, Philippines - A 41-year-old resident of Barangay Camputhaw, Cebu City who allegedly sexually abused a 15-year-old girl was not granted bail by the Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor.

Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Jill Ann Paculba-Gealon indicted the suspect for violation of Republic Act 8353 or the Anti-Rape Law.

The FREEMAN is withholding the names of the suspect as well as the victim due to the sensitive nature of the case.

The victim alleged that in the dawn of October 8 this year, she was awakened when the suspect allegedly took off her clothes and sexually abused her.  She allegedly pushed him to the wall, held his hand and twisted it.

She immediately put on her clothes and ran outside the house. She stayed near a fish vendor and waited for the suspect to come out.

The victim claimed her mother was at an internet café and she had no idea when the latter would come back.

When the suspect was already gone, the victim returned to their house and went back to sleep.

In the evening of that same day, a policewoman from the City Intelligence Branch came to the victim’s house and informed the mother that her daughter was at the pink room of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center.

While on their way to the hospital, the police told the victim’s mother that the victim went to their office together with her classmates and reported the incident.

When they arrived at the hospital, the victim’s mother asked her daughter about what happened but the victim did not reply. It was only when they came to the police station that the victim confessed.

The suspect was then arrested by the police. In an inquest proceeding before Gealon on October 14, the suspect chose to invoke his right to preliminary investigation. However, he failed to submit a counter-affidavit until October 26.

Gealon then resolved the case based on the allegations of the victim and recommended the filing of the case before the court.

“Her claim cannot just be brushed aside. In her innocence and tender age, (the victim) is presumed to have told the truth. What is more, this claim remains uncontroverted,” the resolution read.  (FREEMAN)