ARGAO, Cebu — Police have arrested four of six suspects accused of raping a nine-year-old girl Tuesday night here.
Two of the suspects are the victim’s relatives – an uncle and a 17-year-old cousin.
Police identified the other suspects as Calixto Aligato, 22, and Remond Emelda, 30, both residents of Barangay Quiot-Pardo who worked here as construction workers.
The other suspects known only as Jun and Pat are being hunted by police.
Based on initial investigation, police said the victim was alone in their house when her uncle allegedly dragged her toward a grassy area in Barangay Talaga where the other suspects were waiting.
The victim was made to lie down on the ground covered with banana leaves as the suspects took turns raping her.
Police said the suspects only stopped when the victim’s genitals started bleeding.
SPO1 Vivian Tamayo, Argao Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) investigator, said it was not the first time the victim was allegedly raped by her uncle.
Tamayo said the victim started experiencing abuse from her uncle a year earlier, but the victims’ parents did not press charges.
When she spoke with the victim’s parents, Tamayo said they denied that their daughter was raped.
Tamayo said she plans to file a separate case against the victim’s parents for violation of Republic Act 7610.
The victim’s uncle admitted that he raped his niece twice, but blamed her for seducing him by allegedly pulling his shorts whenever she was with him.
The other suspects, on the other hand, denied they touched the victim.
The victim is currently under the custody of the local social welfare office in Argao town and will undergo trauma intervention. (Lesley Vestil)