A GRADE 10 student from the City of Naga in southern Cebu was reportedly gang-raped by her classmates and schoolmates on the night of May 25, 2023.
But the parents of Inday (real name withheld) were wondering as to why no charges had been brought against the perpetrators despite the fact that the results of her medical examination revealed that she had been raped.
On May 26, the victim was examined in the Pink Room of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City after the incident was reported to the Naga City Police Station.
Initial result revealed that the victim had a hematoma at 6 o’clock position extending to the perihymenal area, which means that she was raped.
“Ang akong gikatingad-an sir nganong wala pa man ni ma file ang kaso nga naa man mi ebidensya ug witness. Huwaton pa daw ang final medical result karon pang June 16, 2023,” said the mother of the victim.
(What surprises me, sir, is why the case hasn't been filed even though we have evidence and witnesses. They said we have to wait for the final medical result on June 16, 2023.)
Police Lieutenant Colonel William Homoc, chief of the Naga City Police Station, denied that they delayed the filing charges against the suspects, saying they were still doing their investigation to strengthen the case they will file in court.
He said his staff are currently gathering data at the barangay's Women and Children Protection Desk.
[SunStar is withholding the name of the barangay to protect the victim.]
He added that they already have a witness who can testify that the victim was raped.
“Our investigation is ongoing, sir. We have someone who can attest to the occurrence, and we can bring a case against these guys,” Homoc said in a media interview.
The parents already know the names of those who committed the crime. Two of them are sons of barangay councilors, one is the son of a barangay health worker, and the other is the nephew of the barangay captain.
Prior to the incident on May 25, Inday asked permission from her parents to attend a debut party of her classmate.
But when she did not return by the break of dawn on May 26, 2023, her parents started to worry.
Her friends and classmates searched for Inday until she was found unconscious at 2 a.m. on top of the big tank that supplies water to the entire barangay.
When the victim was questioned, she admitted that she joined the drinking session at the party and that she was forced to consume alcohol against her will until she got drunk.
She recalled being taken to a dark place where she was repeatedly raped and forced to perform oral sex with the other guys.
“Ako man na gi-estoryahan akong anak, duna daw gipa inom niya nga tabletas mao nato murag nalipong na siya pag ayo. Gidala daw siya sa ibabaw sa tangke ug didto gi hilabtan,” said her mother.
(When I spoke to my daughter, she told me that she was forced to take a medication that made her feel dizzy and then brought on top of the water tank where she was molested.)
One of the victim's female classmates tried to catch up with her, but the suspects stopped her and shoved her, causing her to roll down the slope.
The female classmate also told the parents what the suspects did to their daughter. (AYB/TPT)