Police have arrested a 40-year-old man for allegedly raping a four-month old infant Wednesday in Carcar City, 42 kilometers south of Cebu City.
PO3 Vivian Tamayo of the Carcar City police station women’s desk identified the suspect as Jonathan Marfe who is known to the victim’s family.
Marfe was arrested two days after the victim was found near their house in Barangay Perrelos.
Tamayo said Marfe had a prior rape case in Bohol in 2009 which was dismissed after a settlement with the family of his 10-year-old victim.
Marfe moved to Carcar City six years ago, according to Tamayo.
Police alleged that Marfe slipped into the small house of the victim and abducted the infant who was sleeping beside her mother.
Tamayo said the victim’s mother was fast asleep and did not notice the absence of the infant. Also with the mother were the victim’s two other siblings, aged 3 and 4.
The rest of the nine siblings slept in the living room with the father.
Tamayo said the suspect easily entered the room through a curtain which serves as a door.
The suspect then went to a secluded spot where the alleged rape took place.
The infant was found in a coconut field some 100 meters from their house. A neighbor, who was roused from sleep by the victim’s cries, found the victim covered with blood. Beside her were a diaper and a bottle of coconut wine.
Doctors at the Carcar District Hospital found lacerations in the infant’s private parts, indications that she was raped.
Tamayo said the suspect is a friend of the victim’s 24-year-old brother.
“Madalas siya umigib ng tubig sa tabi ng bahay ng biktima kaya pati aso nila kilala siya,” the police officer said.
Tamayo said six other individuals are being sought by police as “persons of interest.”
She said these individuals were with Marfe during a drinking spree prior to the alleged rape.
The infant is now recuperating at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.