AN OFFICIAL of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) over the weekend said that one of suspects in the alleged “gang-rape” of a 23-year-old student is willing to surrender.
Cocpo spokesperson Police Major Evan Viñas said Jason Veter, whose father is a police officer, will turn himself in once charges are filed before the City Prosecutor’s Office.
Police already submitted the complaint for inquest last Friday, August 9.
Viñas said the suspects requested for preliminary investigation and were directed to file their counter affidavits within 10 days.
Once the suspects submit their affidavits, the prosecution will then weigh whether there are grounds to elevate the case to the court.
Viñas also said vital documents and physical evidence will have to be submitted for the court to appreciate the valid complaint.
The complaint was filed against Jemboy Tonacao, Junel Pabingwit, Clint Caballero, Veter, and a 17-year-old boy.
Only Veter is at large. The others have been arrested and are being held at the detention facility of Police Station 5 in Macabalan.
Most of them are Criminology students of Southern Philippines College (SPC) and schoolmates of the victim.
Viñas said Veter's father, a policeman assigned in Police Station 3, vowed to facilitate the surrender of his son when he was summoned to the Cocpo headquarters.
“Police iyang papa ug napatawag na sa headquarters ug nag-ingon nga motabang siya pagpa-surrender sa iyang anak. Wala man gud nagdako sa iyang papa ang iyang anak,” Viñas said.
The victim, name withheld, reported to the police that she was gang-raped by the suspects on August 6 after the group held a drinking session at the boarding house of Tonacao at Julio-Pacana Streets.
One of the suspects allegedly took a video while the others were allegedly taking turns in raping the victim.
The family of the victim is determined to prosecute the suspects.