Rape charges filed vs Caloocan lawmaker’s son, brod

Formal charges were filed yesterday against a son and brother of Caloocan City Rep. Oscar Malapitan, along with at least six other men, for allegedly raping two girls.

Charged before the office of Caloocan City assistant prosecutor Darwin Canete were Barangay 137 chairman Dale Gonzalo Malapitan alias “Along,” 26; Mariano Malapitan, alias “Mayor;” barangay watchmen Joselito Lim, Roderick Antonio and Danilo Bautista; barangay councilman Pedro Tolentino; “Larry,” “Michael” and several John Does.

“It’s now up to the investigating authorities to identify them,” Canete told reporters.

Along is the congressman’s son while Mayor is his younger brother, Cedes Whitwell, who claimed to be the chairman’s cousin, told The STAR the other day in a telephone interview.  

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) personnel accompanied the girls, 14 and 16 years old, their parents and relatives in filing the charges at around 12:50 p.m.

According to a police report, Barangay 137 watchmen apprehended the victims on April 12 for violating a curfew for minors. They were brought to the barangay hall and Along reportedly forced them to drink liquor.

The suspects threatened the victims that they would be brought to a police station and jailed unless they would accede to their sexual demands. Later on, Mayor brought them to a nearby motel and also allegedly raped them.

“I would like to emphasize that the accused are still presumed innocent. It would be up to the prosecuting authorities to prove whether the accusations are true or not,” Canete said.

The STAR called up Along’s house, but a woman who answered the phone said he was not around. She refused to give her name.

The STAR called up the offices of Caloocan police intelligence and investigation chief Superintendent Jose Valencia and the women’s desk head Chief Inspector Josephine Mallari, but their staff said they were out of their respective offices.

Caloocan police chief Superintendent William Macavinta, in a text message to The STAR, said the court should be allowed to do its work and “the police, in the conduct of their investigation, are just doing their job.”

The victims are under the protective custody of the DSWD-National Capital Region.

Charges politically motivated

Meanwhile, Malapitan said yesterday that “politics” is behind the filing of charges against his son and brother.

“I’d like to assure you that we can produce documents that these are all politically-motivated,” he told reporters at the House of Representatives.

He added that while he will not condone his son’s wrongdoings if he is indeed guilty, the charges were raised by a political opponent he refused to name. Caloocan residents say Malapitan’s rival is Mayor Enrico Echiverri.

Malapitan pointed out that even before his son and brother were formally charged, the allegations against them had been published in several newspapers.

He also said his son was harassed by policemen identified with his rival.  – Jerry Botial, Pete Laude, Delon Porcalla