Ecija vice mayor denies rape raps

PANTABANGAN, Nueva Ecija, Philippines – This town’s vice mayor, who was charged with rape before the Department of Justice Monday for allegedly sexually abusing a beauty contestant and a house helper, denied the accusations against him, claiming these were politically motivated and that the first supposed victim is his “sweetheart.”

In an interview with GMA’s 24 Oras Monday night, Vice Mayor Romeo Borja Jr., son and namesake of Mayor Borja Sr., said he was having a relationship with the 18-year-old beauty contestant and that the supposed rape never took place.

“In my view, it’s all politics because the vice president of Gabriela who is her grandmother is our political enemy,” he said. He did not name names but he was apparently referring to incumbent Councilor Adi Agustin.

Borja said he was puzzled why the beauty contestant would accuse him of rape when only last week, he claimed she even sent him a text message to ask how he was doing.

Borja also denied the rape accusation of the house helper who he said has a relationship with one of his security escorts.

The beauty contestant alleged that Borja raped her at least six times from June to September last year in different places here.

The house helper said she has filed a qualified seduction case in Cabanatuan City against the vice mayor.

In a six-page affidavit, the beauty contestant said she first met Borja in April last year during the coronation of a local beauty contest where he presented her with an award. She said Borja Jr. courted her but she spurned him because the vice mayor was married.

Last July, she said a friend invited her for a drink where she got drunk and when she woke up, she found herself naked in a room with Borja.

She said she shouted for help but nobody came. She also tried to resist the vice mayor but she was too weak, she added.

A few days later, she said Borja allegedly abused her again when she went to see him for fear that he would distribute a supposed sex video he took during the first incident.

She alleged that Borja raped her four more times, including one in his office at the town hall. She later got pregnant.

Borja said he is ready to answer all the allegations leveled against him. “My conscience is clean,” he said.