Panama man nabbed for raping teen

MANILA, Philippines - A Panamanian man was arrested on Tuesday night for allegedly raping a 19-year-old woman in his condominium in Makati City Monday.

Police have referred the teenager’s complaint against Erick Shcks, 35, to the Makati prosecutor’s office.

The woman said she met the suspect at a book fair in Makati last April 20, where Shcks befriended her and started sending her text messages.

On April 23, the suspect invited her to his condominium, claiming he wanted her to meet his friends, but when they got there, nobody was around.

Superintendent Emma Libunao, chief of the Women and Children Protection Division, said the incident was apparently a case of “date rape.” She said Panama Ambassador Roberto Carlo Moreno went to the WCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Group asking to have custody of the suspect.

Libunao refused to give in to the request of the diplomat and referred the matter to the Department of Foreign Affairs.