‘Cop’ accused of robbing, raping women

MANILA, Philippines - A man wanted for allegedly robbing and raping women in Camarin, Caloocan City was arrested Tuesday, an official said yesterday.

Paolo Angelo Encabo was in police uniform and driving a motorcycle when he was arrested at a checkpoint. “When duty officers asked for his identification card, he could not present any,” said Senior Superintendent Rimas Calixto, city police chief.

According to Chief Inspector Ronald Perilla, head of the Camarin police sub-station, Encabo was wanted since September 2012 after a woman filed a complaint that she was robbed and raped by a “short, stout and dark” man in Urduja Subdivision.

Two weeks ago, another woman went to the sub-station and complained that she had been mugged and raped by a man bearing the same description, Perilla said.

Perilla said when he saw Encabo, he believed his features matched the description provided by the two women. He called one of the complainants to find out. “When she saw him, the (woman) cried,” he said.

Perilla said Encabo allegedly operated in three Camarin subdivisions, including Mary Homes and Urduja.

According to the police official, Encabo reportedly targeted women walking alone, approaching them to ask for directions. If the woman stops to entertain him, he would grab their bag at gunpoint, order her to get on his motorcycle and take her to an isolated area in Urduja Subdivision to rape her.