Government physician accused of raping 13-year-old girl

TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines —  The medical profession in this city is now rocked by a controversial case involving a 40-year-old resident physician of a government hospital in Eastern Visayas, who was accused of raping a 13-year-old girl.

The National Bureau of Investigation-8 last September 4 recommended the filing of rape, child abuse, and violation of anti-cybercrime and voyeurism laws against Doctor Eduardo Velarde Jr. of the Eastern Visayas Regional Medical Center. The case is now pending at the City Prosecutions Office.

NBI Special Investigator Remegio Lavella, who handled the investigation of the case, told the media here that the parents of the victim sought the help of the bureau against Velarde.

The parents, who have businesses in the city, told the NBI the molestation took place last May in the physician’s house at Barangay Marasbaras, this city, where he brought the girl during their first meeting after a month-long friendship on Facebook.

The victim also narrated that Velarde allegedly took a picture of her in the nude, and then videotaped their sexual acts, which was later circulated in the child’s school and elsewhere. It was also reported that the girl looked bigger than her age.

The medico-legal report on July, close to two months after the alleged molestation took place, showed the girl was sexually molested.

City Prosecutor Ruperto Golong said a preliminary investigation was already scheduled on October 22, and the physician was given 10 days to submit his counter-affidavit to refute the accusations hurled against him in the complaint.

As of today, however, Velarde has yet to respond to the prosecutor’s order. “Well it’s up to him if he will submit or not his counter-affidavit, but of course we will resolve the case based on whatever evidences available on our records, if not we will resolve it in favor of the complainant,” Golong said.

Golong further said he was informed by Prosecutor Anthea Macalalag, a family court prosecutor assign to handle the complaint that the family of the victim also asked for the filing of a supplemental affidavit as their additional evidences to pin down Velarde.

Latest reports had it that the girl’s parents took her to some place in Cebu City to detach her from the traumatic atmosphere of being in the public attention.

Velarde, a resident physician whose wife was a nurse who had just delivered their first child, was earlier seen working in his clinic since the controversy came up, but had remained silent about the case. As of yesterday, however, he was no longer seen coming to work.

Department of Health-8 Regional Director Minerva Molon said the employment status of Velarde at EVRMC was still on the process of deliberation. She also refused to comment on the criminal complaint against the physician considering that the case is now in the hands of the prosecutor.

Lavella further said the complaint had the support of a non-government organization and officials of the school where the victim was studying. “We and my NBI family are hoping that the prosecution’s office will adopt and uphold whatever recommendation we submitted so justice will be served to the victim and her family,” she said.

The Freeman tried many times to get the side of Velarde who, however, failed to respond to text messages and phone calls. (FREEMAN)