San Juan turns to FB for help in toddler rape-slay

MANILA, Philippines - The city government of San Juan went on Facebook yesterday to ask the public to help catch a man suspected of raping and killing an 11-month-old girl last Aug. 1.

In its Facebook account, the city government identified the suspect in Geralyn Cortez’s rape-slay as vendor Arnel Tumbali.

“The city will give a P100,000 reward to the person who could lead our police team to the verified whereabouts and eventual arrest of Tumbali,” the city government said in its post.

Investigators identified Tumbali as the one seen on a closed-circuit television video carrying Cortez hours before she was found dead under a parked passenger jeepney along Don Ejercito street in Barangay Tibagan last Aug. 1.

Superintendent Jose Rivera, officer-in-charge of the city police, said Cortez’s parents live in a kariton – a makeshift pushcart – and sleep on the street.

Investigators believe Tumbali – who works at a repair shop near the parked jeepney – may have taken the toddler as her parents slept. He has been missing since the discovery of Cortez’s body.

Tumbali was described as between 20 and 24 years old, 5’4” to 5’6” tall, of medium build and dark-skinned.

Investigators said Cortez’s body showed signs she had been raped and that she was hit by a blunt object in the chest. The impact ruptured her liver.

Cortez was buried in Pasig City Wednesday.

The San Juan police are preparing rape-slay charges against Tumbali before the city prosecutor’s office.