Networking firm exec accused of raping recruit

MANILA, Philippines - A manager of a networking firm was arrested Wednesday for allegedly raping a 21-year-old woman he recruited in Pasig City.

Romulo Lozada, 40, manager of the Teleprenuere E-Load, vehemently denied raping the woman, saying the recruit “was only out to destroy me,” according to the Eastern Police District (EPD).

The woman told police she and Lozada have been chatting on Facebook for nearly six months when he invited her to invest in his business. She agreed to invest P24,000 as a starting capital and she gave him the money when they reportedly met at a mall Tuesday night.

Lozada asked the woman to go with him to his condominium unit on Emerald Avenue, where he would issue her an account number and other business partners were waiting for him, Police Officer 3 Hermie Taroma Jr. said.

The woman claimed Lozada’s unit was empty, and Lozada threatened her with bodily harm if she resisted his advances. She said that Lozada allowed her to leave after the rape.

The woman said she went straight to the police station to file a formal complaint against Lozada, who was arrested when the victim tricked him into another meeting, Taroma said.

Lozada was charged with estafa, said Senior Police Officer 4 Geminir Tingne, of the EPD criminal investigation unit. He also faces a rape charge that will be filed by the EPD’s women and children’s protection desk.