A FORMER church choir guitarist and fruit vendor was arrested on Wednesday, June 29, 2022, after he allegedly raped the live-in partner of his son in Barangay Bitoon, Dumanjug town, southwest Cebu.
Operatives from the Anti-Kidnapping Group Visayas Field Unit (AKG 7) headed by Lieutenant Zozimo Ravanez Jr. arrested the 56-year-old suspect identified as Joe (not his real name), a widower from Barangay Bitoon, at the Birhen sa Regla Parish church in Barangay Poblacion, Lapu-Lapu City around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, 2022.
Ravanez said the victim alleged that Joe sexually abused her in his house around 6 p.m. of January 3, 2022 while her partner was not around.
Ravanez said the suspect fled after knowing that a case has been filed against him and went into hiding at the house of his relative in Lapu-Lapu City.
Ravanez said they were able to trace the victim by introducing themselves through text as his fellow church choir members in Dumanjug.
Ravanez added that they also texted the suspect that the priest in Dumanjug was already looking for him as they had no guitarist for their choir and that they would meet him at the Birhen sa Regla Parish church to discuss more about the matter, to which the suspect agreed.
Ravanez said they immediately arrested the suspect when he arrived based on an arrest warrant issued by Judge Bernardito Malabago of RTC Branch 95 in Barili on June 28, 2022.
During police interrogation, the suspect described the accusations against him as baseless, saying he could not commit such crime being a servant of the church.
He added that the victim was just dictated by his son to make the accusations to get even with him after he reported his son to the police for his illegal drug activity.
His son was arrested and imprisoned for three months from March to June 2022.
The suspect will be facing three counts of rape in court. (GPL, TPT)