Suspects in rape-slay of 7-year-old shot dead

MANILA, Philippines - The suspects in the rape and murder of a seven-year-old were shot dead during an alleged scuffle with Manila policemen in their detention cell at the Manila Police District's homicide section Tuesday night.

Investigators told The STAR that Cecilio Bacolo, 19, and Roderick Soliveres, 28, suffered gunshot wounds in the head and chest.

Bacolo and Soliveres were arrested for the rape and killing of Ernieca Abando, a grade one pupil of the F. Ma. Guerrero Elementary School.

Initial reports stated that SPO1 Ramir Dimagiba, duty deck investigator, ordered the victims to dispose of four water containers used as prisoners’ urinals.

Dimagiba said that after opening the cell’s padlock, the two allegedly dropped the containers. Soliveres allegedly grabbed Dimagiba‘s gun that was in his waist.

He said the gun went off as they scuffled for its possession, hitting Bacolo – who tried to join the fray – in the chest.

Dimagiba claimed Soliveres succeeded in getting the gun “utilizing his power and height advantage” and shot him twice but missed.

The police report stated that Soliveres also aimed the gun on PO3 Rodel Benitez, who came to the aid of Dimagiba, but the latter shot the victim in the head.

The victims were rushed to the Philippine General Hospital but Bacolo died after a few minutes. Soliveres died at around 12:29 a.m. according to Dr. John Paul Nang.

The suspects, both members of the Sigue-Sigue Sputnik gang, owned up to the crime.

Bacolo said Soliveres had been eyeing the child for quite a while and was actually looking for a chance to molest her.

Bacolo said that at around 7:30 a.m. last Friday, he agreed to take Soliveres to Abando’s house after the former told him that he would give food to the girl.

The two took the girl with them, rode a jeep to Sta. Mesa and headed to a house on Pat Antonio street which turned out to be owned by Soliveres’ friend.

Bacolo said he left Soliveres and Abando inside a room and when he came back saw the girl naked from the waist down, gagged and with her wrists bound together. He said he believed that his companion had just raped the girl, so he took his turn.

After he was done, Soliveres came back with a nylon cord and strangled the girl. They then left and headed back to Paco.

During investigation, a certain Riza Escoto confirmed that she saw the suspects and the girl heading up to the fourth floor of the house between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m.

Escoto told the police that at about 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. of the same day, she noticed the suspects coming out of the house without the victim.

The crime was discovered at around 9:20 p.m., almost 12 hours after it was committed, when the owner of the house arrived.

“The suspects apparently didn’t look like they were bothered by their conscience. We first arrested Bacolo, who pointed to his cohort’s whereabouts. They didn’t resist arrest,” said investigator SPO1 Charles John Duran.