Sun Star Cebu News
Sunday, February 8, 2009
THREE teenagers are facing three counts of rape for allegedly abusing a 13-year-old girl they met during a disco.
Renante Taraya Manu-bag, 18, with two boys ages 17 and 16, allegedly took turns in raping Jane (real name withheld) in a vacant, grassy area in Barangay Tagjaguimit, City of Naga.
Acting City Prosecutor Aida Sanchez said the minors were included in the charges because they already acted with discernment.
Discernment factor
Under the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006, minors between the ages of 15 and 17 could not be charged in court for a crime unless they acted with discernment, or that they were aware and understood the implications of their actions.
Jane told PO2 Rubi Mesal and PO1 Flordeliz Contratista of the Naga Police Station that she and her cousin Ana (real name also withheld), 18, went to a disco in Tagjaguimit last Feb. 1.
On their way home, Manubag and his companions allegedly overtook them.
A friend got Ana’s attention, and they started talking. Jane decided to sit nearby.
Manubag approached and allegedly asked her to go to a nearby lot.
Jane refused, but Manubag allegedly physically forced her to go to the area.
It was 3:30 a.m.
“While Manubag was talking to me, (one of the other boys) covered my eyes with a handkerchief and (the other) pulled me at the grassy place,” read Jane’s sworn statement.
The teenagers allegedly then took turns raping her, with the others holding her hands when one was abusing her.
Escape
Ana, on the other hand, said the 17-year-old suspect also tried to hug and kiss her, prompting her to run away.
When she did not see Jane, she thought her cousin went home, only to discover that she was not there when she went to their house.
Ana and Jane’s mother then started looking for Jane and went to the vacant lot.
“When we arrived at the said place, I saw Jane lying on the grass and saw Manubag’s group (immediately) flee (the area),” read Ana’s affidavit.
Rage
Jane’s mother also noticed that her daughter’s white shorts and panties were already removed.
“Out of rage, I chased and stoned the suspects, who went on different directions,” read the mother’s affidavit.
Jane’s mother immediately reported the incident to the barangay hall.
The three suspects were summoned and were positively identified by the victim
unsa na sab ni?