THE Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) arrested in Tondo, Manila the 37-year-old suspect in the rape of an 11-year-old victim from Barangay Kalunasan, Cebu City.
In a press conference on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, CIDG-National Capital Region chief Colonel John Guiagui said the suspect was arrested while disembarking from a boat at the port area in Manila on Monday, March 9, 2026.
“Ang nangyari based doon sa coordination natin doon sa nakakasakop is tumakas siya after the incident. Pumunta sa tatay niya sa southern part ng Cebu and then nung pinuntahan ng Cebu City police personnel, sinabi niya na ‘yung tatay binigyan niya ng P6,000 ‘yung suspect natin para tumakas,” he said.
(According to our coordination with the authorities in the area, he fled after the incident. He went to his father in the southern part of Cebu, and when Cebu City police personnel went to him, the father said that he had given the suspect P6,000 to help him escape.)
“So with the coordination sa Coast Guard, nakita sa passenger manifest na meron siyang travel from Bacolod to Pier 4 sa Manila, so inunahan nitong mga Cebu City police and in relation sa CIDG dito sa atin, kaya naabangan pagbaba sa Pier 4,” he added.
(Through coordination with the Coast Guard, the passenger manifest showed that he traveled from Bacolod to Pier 4 in Manila. Cebu City police, in coordination with the CIDG here, intercepted him upon arrival at Pier 4.)
Guiagui said the suspect, a habal-habal driver, took the victim to a grassy area in their barangay on March 7 and took advantage of her in exchange for P200.
After the incident, the suspect asked another habal-habal driver to take the victim home, as he tried to avoid a police checkpoint in the area.
“Magkapitbahay sila. Ang nangyari nilapit niya ang sarili niya sa bata, binibigyan bigyan niya at ‘yung last nga na bigay ‘yung P200, ayun na nga ang nangyari,” the police said.
(They are neighbors. What happened was that he approached the child, giving her small gifts, and the last one he gave was P200 -- that’s when the incident occurred.)
Guiagui said the victim is currently in the hospital undergoing treatment after suffering from bleeding. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)