A 66-year-old man may spend the rest of his life in jail if it is proven that he had repeatedly raped his 29 year-old mentally handicapped niece.

The victim, Katrina (not her real name), had told police authorities that her uncle had sexually abused her several times this year inside the former’s house.

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Katrina said she had gone to live with her uncle, the husband of her mother’s cousin, after her mother’s death in 2004.

The suspect is the husband of a former barangay chairperson in one of the barangays of the city. This paper, however, is withholding the suspect’s name pending the formal filing of criminal charges against him.

In her sworn affidavit, Katrina told police investigator PO3 Juliet Dagang of the Women and Children's Desk at Police Station 2 in Cogon that the sexual abuse occurred on February 6 and 10, on March 29, and on April 9.

Katrina said she was last abused by the suspect last September 3, 2009.

Katrina said all of the incidents happened when she was left in the house alone with the suspect. She said on the first four incidents, her uncle had requested her to go inside his room where she was sexually abused.

After the last incident in September, Katrina said she reported the abuse to her aunt whom she said did not believe a word she said.

Katrina said he aunt, however, brought her Patag, to another cousin of her mother whom she again told of the repeated abuse. It was this aunt who finally told police about the alleged rapes, Katrina said.

After reporting to the police the uncle, Katrina said, wrote a letter of apology in which he vowed to never abuse her again. Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro was able to read a letter of apology supposedly coming from the suspect dated October 22, 2009 and notarized by Atty. Victoria Jacot.

In the same document, the suspect also promised to change his behavior and to strive to “become a better family man.”

This paper also was able to secure a copy of an affidavit bearing the signature of the victim which states "that she has already forgiven the suspect” and that she is no longer “interested to file charges against her perpetrator."

It, too, was also notarized by Jacot on the same date.

But according to PO3 Dagang, the document cannot prevent the victim from filing formal charges against the suspect.

Yesterday, P03 Dagang together with the victim's relatives accompanied Katrina to the prosecutor's office to file the complaint.
 
Dagang said upon receiving the complaint, the prosecutor will then summon the suspect to answer the allegations.

Under the Philippine law, rape, a heinous crime, is a non-bailable offense.(Joey P. Nacalaban)