Rape raps vs WPP guard

The National Bureau of Investigation has recommended the filing of charges of rape and attempted rape against a security officer of the government’s Witness Protection Program for his alleged sexual attacks on a 29-year-old woman.

Now facing charges of rape and attempted rape in the Department of Justice is Jerry Lintan, alias Rustom Yap, 30, a native of Malvar, Batangas. The NBI made its recommendation to the Department of Justice last April 29.

According to the NBI, Lintan allegedly raped the woman in a WPP safehouse in Cubao, Quezon City, last March 26. The NBI said the victim, a witness to a brutal slaying in Pangasinan, was staying at the safehouse with her husband and four-year-old daughter.

In her statement, the victim said she was about to wash the feeding bottle of her daughter when Lintan allegedly grabbed her arm and dragged her to his room.

In the room, Lintan allegedly pushed the victim to the bed, covered her mouth with a pillow, undressed and then raped her. Lintan, said the victim, even threatened to kill her and her family during the rape.

Two days later, the victim said she had just come from the bathroom when Lintan again allegedly tried to sexually attack her. This time however, the victim managed to grab a kitchen knife and scared Lintan off.

According to the NBI, the victim had left the protection of the WPP last April 29 following Lintan’s sexual attacks.

In his sworn statement, Lintan, who was transferred by the Justice Department to the Cordillera region after the alleged sexual attacks, denied the accusations.

He claims that he and the victim had a romantic relationship. He also claimed that the victim had only accused him of committing the alleged sexual attacks after he did not make good his promise to abandon his wife and live with her after her coverage under the WPP is terminated.

After an intensive investigation by the NBI’s Special Action Unit, NBI Director Reynaldo Wycoco told reporters that they have enough evidence to file charges against Lintan.

Aside from the victim’s sworn statement, NBI investigators have also secured as part of the investigation, the victim’s medico-legal examination results as well as sworn statements of the victim’s son, and of Police Officers 3 Lorelli Pacho and Ricardo Penullar, WPP security officers who were detailed at the same safehouse with the suspects.

"We expect the Chief State Prosecutor to schedule the suspect‘s preliminary investigation. The evidence at hand is more than enough," said Wycoco.

Wycoco added that Lintan expressed willingness to submit to a polygraph examination to be administered by the NBI. Wycoco also said they would look into Lintan’s background since he may have victimized other women under the WPP’s coverage.