Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Police stumbles more 'rape' cases vs teacher's husband By Cong Corrales
THE arrested "sex offender" who allegedly molested a number of pupils inside a public school in Cagayan de Oro turned out to have more cases up against him in court, police said.
Carlos Decipolo, 57, was collared in a dragnet operation by the City Mobile Group (CMG) last Friday in connection with the child molestation charges filed against him last March by parents of several Grade II pupils at the Camaman-an Elementary School.
Decipolo's wife had been a teacher of the school until she was transferred to another school after the complaints against her husband surfaced.
Digging through Decipolo's records, a CMG personnel discovered that the suspect has two more pending rape cases at Branch 22 of the Regional Trial Court -- each having a bail bond of P120,000.
"In the course of our investigation, we have also come across with other complainants who said they will press sex charges against Mr. Decipolo," said PO3 John Caberte.
Decipolo, who is currently detained at the Maharlika Detention Center, was arrested through a warrant of arrest issued by RTC Branch 37. He is facing a "statutory rape by sexual assault" case with a P200,000 bail bond. It could not immediately be verified whether the cases are tied to the Camaman-an pupils.
After the Camaman-an controversy broke out, Caberte said the suspect has gone hiding. A tip from a concerned citizen led the police to Calaanan Elementary School, where Decipolo's wife was transferred.
Police served the warrant of arrest and nabbed Decipolo just as he appeared at the school to fetch her wife.
Decipolo's alleged sex offenses were first reported in media when a number of Grade II female pupils and their parents trooped to PO3 Juliet Lucagbo of the Cogon Police Station Women's and Children's Desk to file complaints against him for sexual molestation.
It was reported that Decipolo would call his wife's pupils one by one when his wife was in another room. He would then instruct them to pluck the graying hairs in his head. While a pupil plucks through his hair, he would allegedly touch the private parts of the child.
At times, the complainants said he would instruct them to sit on his lap.
To prevent the children from telling his wife or their parents, he would allegedly threaten them that they will be punished by "sitting on the air," or that he would shave their grades.
Decipolo declined an interview with Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro.
