Mandaue cops nab man for molesting daughter

CEBU, Philippines – A 14-year-old girl finally broke her silence and told the police her father had molested her several times over the years inside their house in Mandaue City.

Her confession eventually led to the arrest of her father Saturday afternoon in Barangay Looc through a joint operation of the Mandaue City Police Office, City Intelligence Branch and the Regional Intelligence Division of the Police Regional Office-7.

Owing to the nature of the case, The FREEMAN is withholding the names of the parties involved.

Traumatized

According to Police Inspector Ivy Bartolome of the MCPO Women's and Children's Protection Desk, the victim sent a text message to her  aunt Saturday morning to seek help as she could no longer take the lascivious acts of her father.

The aunt promptly sought the help of her policeman husband who then referred them to the police office.

At the MCPO, the victim was "very scared and still in a traumatic state," said Bartolome.

The child had been allegedly raped by her father since her mother died in 2012. Since her mother's death, the child had been living with her 33-year-old father and her 12-year-old sister.

Relief

With the father sent to jail, the girl found a renewed hope in her life.

Milagros Cabahug, social welfare assistant at the Mandaue City Social Welfare and Services, said the child now feels relieved that her father was already arrested.

She said the child, who is presently staying with her aunt in Lapu-Lapu City, also plans to go back to school in the next school year.

During the arrest of the suspect last Saturday, police personnel reportedly caught him in the act of starting a drug session.

Police Officer 3 Juanito Bulahan of Opao Police Station said they saw the child's father with a small sachet of shabu and drug paraphernalia.

Because of this, the perpetrator is also facing charges for violation of Sections 11 and 12 of  RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, aside from charges of acts of lasciviousness. (FREEMAN)