By Jennifer P. Rendon
Contrary to what his family earlier claimed, the 16-year-old boy from Molo, Iloilo was not sexually molested by several gay men.
But there is a possibility that the three respondents, not eight as earlier reported by two radio stations, could be held liable for violation of Republic Act 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act).
Major Engilbert Banquillo, Molo police chief, said investigators recommended the filing of a case against one of the three suspects.
But the 16-year-old complainant insisted that he will also haul to court two other persons.
The report of alias Nonoy being gang raped surfaced after his mother was interviewed by a local radio station several days ago.
The interview happened days after Nonoy, his parents, and his sister went to the Molo Police Station on Sept 3 and reported that he was molested.
“His parents claimed that there was a change in his behavior – tulala kag nagadali mag-init kuno iya ulo,” Banquillo said
With his family claiming that the boy was traumatized, Banquillo said personnel from the Women and Children’s Protection Desk temporarily deferred from interviewing him.
Nonoy was, instead, made to undergo medical and drug tests. They were advised to return to the police station on Sept 8.
But on Sept 6, his mother went to a local radio station for an interview.
Subsequently, photographs of the eight “suspects” who allegedly raped the boy also surfaced on the station’s website
Initially, the station claimed that the photos were provided by the Molo Police Station.
“I complained because it did not come from us. The photos were apparently taken from the persons’ Facebook accounts,” Banquillo said.
Molo Police Station’s name was subsequently deleted as the photo providers.
COMPLAINANT’S VERSION
Police investigators later interviewed the boy to verify if he was indeed molested.
The lad claimed that he went to a friend’s boarding house in Calumpang on Aug 25.
He went on a drinking spree with his 20-year-old friend, another teenage boy, and a “gay” individual. He failed to return home on the same day.
The following day, he went for a swim with the same friends. In the afternoon, he again went binge drinking.
But this time around, they were joined by another teenage boy. He then saw that something was dropped in his glass of whisky.
He was later told that it was just cigarette ash.
Nonoy claimed that one of the suspects fondled and bit him. He added that he immediately went home after he got dizzy.
CHARGES
Banquillo said that majority of the eight persons who were earlier implicated went to the police station to clear their names.
One of them claimed that it is impossible for him to be with Nonoy because he was on quarantine when the supposed incident happened.
Another claimed that he was in Antique province at the time of the incident.
Some of the persons named as suspects already told the police that they would file criminal charges against those responsible for implicating them in the case.
Even the boarding house owner debunked reports that eight persons were present when the alleged molestation happened.
Banquillo said he told Nonoy’s mother about it but “daw sa wala man lang sa iya.”
He advised the eight persons who were implicated that they could book their complaints with the police assigned to the area where they read the news report.
