THE Davao City Prosecutor's Office recommended the filing of rape and child abuse charges against a 17-year-old minor who was accused of sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl on June 18.
In a resolution dated June 27, Prosecutor Rizalyn Gonzales found probable cause to charge the 17 year old respondent (name witheld for being a minor) for violation of Republic Act 8363 or Anti-Rape law of 1997 in relation to RA 7610 or the “Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.
The resolution stated that the incident was discovered by Jesus Ordaneza Rudi, a barangay responder in Barangay 5-A, Bangkerohan while he was reviewing the weekly video footage captured by the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) installed in the area last July 18.
The discovery prompted Rudi to notify Ernesto Zamora Tabigue of the Barangay Peace and Order Unit (BPOU who eventually checked the video to confirm the report.
Tabigue, who was able to recognize the respondent in the video, immediately arrested the accused at Lamayan, Bangkerohan and contacted Central 911 who later endorsed him to the San Pedro police station.
The complainant narrated to the authorities that she was asked by her mother to throw a cat’s carcass during the incident and that was when the respondent suddenly approached her and proceeded to sexually abused her.
Complainant stated that she was afraid that the respondent may hurt her like what he did to her in the past where she was also sexually abused by him for about six times already.
According to the resolution, enough evidences were shown to charge respondent for child abuse.