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Saturday, August 11, 2007
3 suspects in rape-slay of 15-year-old nabbed
By Joey P. Nacalaban
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Three persons accused of raping and killing a 15-year-old housemaid finally fell into the hands of authorities Thursday night.
Senior Inspector Joie Pacito Yape, Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) deputy for operations, identified the suspects as Marlon Mante alias "Dodong," 34; Ronnie "Botoy" Plaresan, 25; and Samuel Emano, 31. All suspects reside in this city.
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All three are said to be taxi drivers. Samuel is reportedly a second-degree cousin of Vice Mayor Vicente Emano.
Plaresan, during interviews with the media, admitted to the crime.
Last August 6, the lifeless body of Janeth Sasil was found in a grassy area in Barangay Gusa. Sasil was a resident of Zone 3, Bulua.
The victim sustained a lone gunshot wound in the left side and there were traces of contusions in some parts of her body.
Sasil was working as a helper in one of the households in Terry Hills Subdivision located at Bulua.
Plaresan told authorities he and two other companions committed the crime.
Plaresan said prior to the commission of the crime, they were drinking liquor at the taxi terminal, just a few meters away from the scene.
"Nagkasabot dayon ming tulo nga mangita og babaye mao tong nanakay mi sa taxi ni Marlon (Mante) padulong sa (We agreed to look for girls that's why we rode in Marlon's taxi and headed for the) Gusa overpass," Plaresan narrated.
While at the area, Plaresan said, he and his companions noticed Sasil and another companion eating. They befriended the two and invited the girls to go with them in the taxi.
The suspects brought the girls to a vacant lot in Sitio San Pedro where they continued drinking.
A few minutes later, Plaresan said, Mante began to get unruly and started kissing the girls.
Sensing that the victims were uncooperative, Mante suddenly struck them with a hard object in the back. One managed to fight back and escaped. Mante, Plaresan said, shot her but missed.
"Amo dayong gilugos ang kadtong nabilin na babaye, akoy nagkapot sa iyang tiil mentras si Samuel ug Marlon maoy naglugos (We then molested the girl, I pinned her feet while Samuel and Marlon raped her)," Plarisan said.
Plaresan said it was Mante who first forced himself on the victim.
He said after the rape, Mante shot the victim.
Senior Inspector Yape, however, has his own version of the incident.
Yape said when the suspects were about to open the zipper of the victim's pants, she ran away so Mante shot her.
Mante said he did not have anything to do with the crime. He admitted that they did have a drinking session that started at 6 p.m. Sunday but there were many people with them at the time.
He said he left a few minutes later with Plaresan. Mante said he dropped Plaresan at a lotto outlet in Lapasan before proceeding home. He denied owning a .45 pistol.
Samuel said he was with the group during the drinking session but left the area and went home.
He said his conscience is clean and he's even willing to undergo a lie detector test if only to clear his name.
Yape said the statements of the suspects would be weighed at the prosecutor's office during inquest proceedings.
"If the prosecutor sees that the complaint is substantial against the suspects, the filing of charges in court would be recommended," Yape said.
On the possibility of using Plaresan as a state witness, Yape said it is the court that will decide. "Ours is only a recommendation," Yape said.
Yape said Plaresan's account of the incident was corroborated and confirmed by Sasil's companion.
He said if the court would find that Plaresan's participation is less than the other two suspects then he might qualify as a state witness.
As of Friday, the three suspects were detained at the CIDG headquarters while appropriate cases are being readied against them. (Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro/Sunnex)For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Zamboanga. (August 11, 2007 issue)
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