Woman “raped” by driver who offered to help her

CEBU, Philippines - A 42-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a 24-year-old motorcycle-for-hire driver who offered to help her from her husband Saturday in Barangay Cambigong, Samboan town.

Rose (not her real name), claimed that instead of bringing her to the police station to report her husband, Arnel Rusiana raped and left her in a grassy area.

Police Officer 2 Ressel Jabagat of Samboan Police, based on the investigation, said Rose and her husband, who is a barangay tanod, argued while walking towards home last Saturday dawn after attending a benefit dance.

Rusiana allegedly happened to pass by the couple and saw them fighting. He stopped and tried to pacify the couple, said Jabagat, but Rose’s husband told him not to meddle in their marital argument.

Rose allegedly asked Rusiana to bring her to the police station to report her husband who allegedly hurt her.

But instead of bringing her to the police station, Rusiana allegedly stopped some two kilometers from where he picked her and brought her to a secluded and grassy area.

The suspect allegedly told her to alight from the motorcycle, covered her mouth with a piece of cloth, slapped her, and punched her until she passed out.  Rose said when she woke up, she was already naked.

Allegedly traumatized of what happened to her, Rose only had the courage to report the incident to the police in the evening.

A follow up operation was conducted by the police leading to the suspect’s arrest.

Rusiana denied raping the victim and only admitted to helping and dropping her to the crossing near the police station. He said he then left afterwards.

 “Nalooy daw siya. Igo ra niya gi-drop sa crossing ang babaye,” said Jabagat.

Jabagat said the victim, who had bruises in her legs and face, was subjected to a medical examination at the pink room of Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City.

The result of the examination will be used in filing a case against the suspect, he said.

According to Jabagat, the suspect had no police records and his fellow motorcycle-for-hire drivers vouched that he was a good man.  (FREEMAN)