2 men arrested for sexually abusing minor 'may have other victims'

LILOAN police are coordinating with colleagues in neighboring towns in northern Cebu to determine if the two men arrested for sexually abusing a minor on Monday, August 8, 2022, had other victims.

Major Ramil Morpos, Liloan Police Station chief, told Superbalita Cebu he already ordered the Women and Children’s Protection Desk to work side by side with counterparts in neighboring stations.

He said the cellphone recovered from accused Jonel Palang contains videos and photos of Palang having sex with other naked boys.

Morpos said they are not discounting the possibility that the accused and his companion Rennard Sumotia victimized other minors.

Palang and Sumotia underwent an inquest proceeding before the Cebu Provincial Prosecutor’s Office Wednesday morning, August 10.

The two men were charged with violating Republic Act (RA) 7610, Special Protection of Children against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act; and RA 9995, or Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act, on Tuesday, August 9.

Liloan police are preparing the letter-request for the prosecutor to use Palang’s cellphone as evidence and submit it to the Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit (Racu) Central Visayas for thorough examination.

Morpos said the phone can be used as evidence but it must be examined by Racu Central Visayas first.

As for Palang and Sumotia, they are still detained in the Liloan Police Station.

They are accused of accosting a 15-year-old boy along the highway Sunday night, August 7, and bringing him to a secluded area in Barangay Poblacion, Liloan, where Palang sexually abused him while Sumotia served as lookout.

Palang took photos of the abuse and recorded it using his cellphone.

Police were able to trace the two men’s whereabouts on Facebook, as they had insisted that the victim send them a friend-request. They are also well-known in the vicinity. (GPL, PJB)

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