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Saturday, November 22, 2003
Joggers' Inn owner, 6 others charged
By Raquel C. Bagnol
THE City Prosecution Office (CPO) has formally charged the owner of an inn in front of Magsaysay Park and six other suspects arrested for violation of the Anti-Child Abuse Law (Republic Act 7610) by keeping minors for sex trade early this month.
Chief City Prosecutor Raul Bendigo forwarded the criminal case to the Regional Trial Court (RTC) based on a two-page resolution filed by the Philippine National Police (PNP) against Joggers Inn owner Tito Mordeno, roomboy Arnulfo Eyas, waiter Elias Asilum, Noli Almano, Jerry Conception, Clarita Pelangoy and Lilia Monterola.
In the resolution, investigating prosecutor Shahruddin Roberto C. Sencio held there is probable cause to hold the respondents for trial based on the evidences presented.
Court records show at around 8 p.m. on November 12, three policemen identified as PO1 Anthony Dechavez, PO3 Abdulrajan Antapan and PO2 Alnil Lepasana, all of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) acted as customers at Jogger's Inn.
Dechavez claimed Almano convinced him to "rent" a girl for P500. Almano allegedly presented a 16-year-old girl to him. He allegedly paid P500 and went with the girl upstairs.
Antapan and Lepasana also claimed they were offered young girls to be rented for P500, but the price was allegedly lowered to P300 when they showed reluctance.
Girls aging 12-16 were shown to them for selection. At a given signal, PSI Rovina Vilela arrived accompanied by police authorities, with the coordination of lawyer Marlisa Gallo of the City Legal Office (CLO) and Councilor Angela Librado, council committee on children, women and family relations chair, and declared a raid.
Earlier, City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte issued a closure order, directing the establishment to stop operations.
Business Bureau chief Erwin Alparaque, on the other hand, said the owner violated various city ordinances, including the anti-smoking ordinance and operating without a business and sanitary permit.
The door of the inn was padlocked and a signboard that read "child rights violator" was nailed to the door of the establishment.
Sencio has recommended a P200,000 bail bond each for the provisional liberty of the respondents.
(November 22, 2003 issue)
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