Cops believe missing retardate raped, killed

Police yesterday feared a mentally-challenged 14-year-old girl reported missing and believed raped over a week ago in Malabon City could already be dead.

City police Women’s and Children’s Desk officer PO1 Eden Galano said the victim, who will not be named, was reported missing last Dec. 21 and has not been found yet.

Ernesto Esteban, 46, a "taho" vendor, residing in Barangay Maysilo in Malabon has been arrested and is undergoing interrogation.

Galano said witnesses pointed to Esteban as the most likely suspect as he was the last person seen with the victim before she was reported lost.

Galano also suspects that the victim could have been raped and killed. She added that the victim showed some inconsistencies in his testimony to the police. Esteban has denied any knowledge about the allegations.

Galano said that the victim left her house in Gagalangin, Tondo near the Caloocan-Manila boundary unnoticed last Dec. 21 but was reportedly seen in Sangandaan with a waitress identified only as "Diane." It was not clear how "Diane" lost the victim to Esteban, who was reported to have first taken the girl to the barangay hall. – Jerry Botial