THE suspect in the killing of 10-year-old girl Kiara Mae Namanama has said he was not alone when he committed the crime.
In an interview with lawyer Ruphil Fernandez Bañoc during his radio program on dyHP, Ian Rey Baculi, 18, said there were four of them who performed the gruesome act.
Baculi narrated that on the morning of Jan. 6, 2022, he and his three friends decided to go swimming at a stream in Sitio Napo, Barangay Tapul in Talisay City, Cebu.
But when they met Namanama, one of his friends, whom he did not identify, ordered them to follow her. Once near, they grabbed the victim and brought her to the river and drowned her.
Baculi said he was just standing above the river while his friends did the drowning.
“Katong akong mga barkada maoy nagsugo (My friends were the ones who ordered)...ana siya nga kanang bataa sundi na, ako ra gisundan (they said follow that girl, which I did). Gisignit nila ang bata (They grabbed the girl)... nagpaabot ra ko didto human nilag signit (I was just waiting there after they grabbed her),” said Baculi.
Baculi said they did not punch the girl but only drowned her.
When she became unconscious, he said his three companions ordered him to bring the lifeless body to a grassy lot above the river, and there they took turns in raping Kiara Mae.
He said he was hesitant to participate in the sexual act, but his friends threatened to kill him.
After they consummated the act, he was ordered by his friends to bring her body to a cave and there they covered her with stones to hide her.
He was then ordered by one of his friends to hide so that he would be suspected as the killer.
He said he went home to Sitio Avocado, Barangay Maghaway, Talisay City but later transferred to his mother’s house in Campo 7 in Minglanilla town, southern Cebu.
Baculi said he was bothered by his conscience.
“Sige lang kog hinoktok sa dihang nangita na sila sa bata (I was always staring blankly when I learned that they were looking for the girl),” according to Baculi.
He said he was willing to name his three companions who participated in killing Kiara Mae to the Talisay Police, adding he was not able to sleep for two days due to the incident.
He said he was willing to face the consequences for his act and ask for forgiveness from the parents of the girl once he met them.
He, however, denied the accusations about his participation in robbery incidents in Maghaway.
Baculi and his victim, Kiara Mae, were cousins. (AYB, TPT)