LAUR, Nueva Ecija – A 20-year-old caretaker accused of raping a 12-year-old girl for several times was arrested by police in Barangay Sta. Monica, Rizal, at around 1:20 a.m. Friday.
Police Capt. Christopher Baluyot, Laur police chief, said the suspect, who went into hiding for over a year, was identified as Steven Ruiz, a resident of Barangay San Fernando, this town.
Police said the suspect was nabbed by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Katrina Nora Buan-Factora of Regional Trial Court Branch 10 in Angeles, Pampanga, for 10 counts of rape involving a 12-year-old girl.
In his detention cell, Ruiz claimed that “he has been in love affair with the victim”, according to police.
“Yun pong mismong magulang ang nagsampa ng kaso laban sa suspek dahil nga minor ‘yung biktima,” P/SSg. Johnson Bondad, investigator-on-case, said. (Ariel P. Avendaño)