By Jennifer P. Rendon
A 35-year-old widower accused of rape was arrested afternoon of Oct 31, 2022 in Mandurriao, Iloilo City.
Von (real name withheld), a construction worker, and resident of Tigbauan, Iloilo, was arrested at Barangay Oñate de Leon, Mandurriao, Iloilo City.
Members of the Iloilo City Police Station 5 and Tigbauan Municipal Police Station collared the suspect by virtue of an arrest warrant in Criminal Case No. 3806 for rape by sexual assault under Article 266-A of the Revised Penal code amended, in relation to Section 5(B) of Republic Act 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act).
Judge Irene Banzuela Didolo of the Regional Trial Court Branch 67 in Guimbal, Iloilo issued the arrest warrant on Oct. 26, 2022.
The suspect is the topmost wanted person in Tigbauan and the tenth in Iloilo province.
Staff Sergeant Jessica Barcelona, Tigbauan PNP’s Women and Children Protection Desk assistant chief, said the suspect was accused of raping his three daughters on March 7, 2022.
The girls were 4, 6, and 7 years old when the alleged rape happened.
Since Von’s wife was already dead, the girls lived with him and their grandfather.
Barcelona said the children were placed in the custody of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office after the incident.
A distant relative who lives in another town in Iloilo was designated to take care of the victims.