Thursday, March 18, 2004
Cops release American after girl refuses to file abuse complaint
THE Naga, Cebu town police had to release yesterday an American national after the 16-year-old girl he allegedly sexually abused refused to file a complaint against him.
Chief Insp. Renato Malazarte, Naga police station chief, said the girl even refused to execute an affidavit against James Edward as she is in love with the foreigner.
“They even kissed in front of us just to show that the girl was not raped,” he said.
So, Malazarte said, they had to release the American because they could be charged with arbitrary detention.
Police picked up Edward in his house in Barangay Tuyan, Naga, Cebu past 2 a.m. yesterday after the girl’s mother complained that the foreigner had sexually abused her daughter.
Investigation showed that Edward, the alleged victim and a female companion met at SM City mall in Cebu City last Monday morning, Malazarte said.
He said the girl reportedly agreed to Edward’s proposal to go with him to Tuyan, Naga. The mother looked for her daughter after the latter failed to go home.
“The mother was really angry. She doesn’t want her daughter to live with this American guy because she is still too young,” Malazarte said.
As advised by a trial court judge, the Naga police was supposed to get a statement, through an affidavit, from the girl, but she refused.
“We cannot do anything because she refused. The girl even said that it was her decision to go with the American,” Malazarte said. GC
(March 18, 2004 issue)
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