Ecija mayor denies son in hiding

PANTABANGAN, Nueva Ecija, Philippines – Outgoing Mayor Romeo Borja Sr. yesterday said his son, outgoing Vice Mayor Romeo Jr., who is facing rape charges filed by a beauty pageant contestant, has not gone into hiding and there is no need for the Department of Justice (DOJ) to track him down as demanded by a group of party-list lawmakers.

“We are just here and my son always goes to the DOJ so there is really no need to locate him,” Borja Sr. said, as he squelched fears his son will flee following a DOJ resolution finding probable cause and recommending the filing of 22 counts of rape against him.

Earlier, Gabriela party-list lawmakers led by Rep. Luzviminda Ilagan urged the DOJ to determine the whereabouts of the younger Borja after it recommended his indictment.

The complainant accused Borja Jr. of repeatedly raping her from October 2009 to April 2010.

Another complainant claimed the mayor and vice mayor raped her from May 2011 to November 2012. Her mother filed separate complaints against the Borjas for violating Republic Act 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012, and RA 8353 or the Anti-Rape Law, in relation to RA 7610, the Anti-Child Abuse Law.

The father-and-son tandem lost to Lucio Uera and Ruben Huerta in the mayoral and vice mayoral races, respectively. The Borjas defeated Uera and Huerta in previous polls.

Borja Sr. said he and his son are willing to answer the charges against them in court. He said the charges have long been dismissed by the DOJ as they were “full of errors and inconsistencies” and that the supposed dates when the complainant was raped were erroneous.

In the latest complaint, a 17-year-old beauty pageant contestant alleged that the Borjas raped her on several occasions from 2011 to 2012.