The Quezon City Police District yesterday announced the arrest of a 36-year-old driver who allegedly robbed and raped two women while onboard a colorum public utility vehicle in Quezon City last week.
Supt. Rodel Marcelo, chief of the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, identified the suspect as Wilfredo Lorenzo of Block 37, Lot 17, Metro Manila East, Rodriguez, Rizal.
Investigation showed that the victims aged 22 and 27 boarded a white Toyota Hi-Ace Grandia with license plates ALA-6980 in front of Centris Mall on Quezon Ave. corner EDSA, Quezon City at about 10 p.m. Friday bound for SM Fairview, Quezon City.
Marcelo said the victims were only passengers left upon reaching Batasan Hills on Commonwealth Ave. and Lorenzo and a companion identified as alias “Buddy” declared a holdup.
The suspects robbed the victims of cash and valuables and were hogtied, blindfolded, and taken to Caloocan City where the suspects took turns raping them while onboard the vehicle.
The victims were dropped off by the suspects at the parking lot of Kambingan ni Tsong in Barangay Sauyo, Novaliches, Quezon City at around 2.a.m. Saturday.
Marcelo said the victims sought help from a taxi driver and took them to the QCPD Station 4 that initially investigated the incident before it was turned over to the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit.
QCPD Station 4 and QCPD-CIDU tracker teams arrested Lorenzo at around 5:45 p.m. Monday on E. Cruz St., T.S. Cruz Subdivision, Barangay Kaligayahan, Quezon City through the help of the vehicle’s operator. Recovered from Lorenzo was a plastic sachet containing suspected shabu.
Police said that Lorenzo was under the influence of illegal drugs when he raped the victims. Police are now hunting Lorenzo’s companion.
The victims and their relatives have asked President-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte to revive the death penalty following the incident.
The victims and their relatives took turns in slapping and punching Lorenzo during their brief confrontation at the QCPD headquarters out of anger and disgust.
“Hindi napigilan ng mga biktima ilabas ang kanilang galit sa suspek dahil sa sinapit nila sa kanya pati sa kanyang kasama,” a police officer said.
A relative of a victim was heard shouting “Patayin siya, patayin!” “President Duterte, tulungan ninyo po kami makakuha ng hustisya!”
Marcelo said Lorenzo was charged before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office with robbery with two counts of rape and violation of Section 11 of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. The suspect is currently detained at the QCPD-CIDU. (FRANCIS T. WAKEFIELD)