2 cops held in rape for release scheme

MANILA, Philippines — Two rookie police officers are in hot water after they allegedly raped a 22-year-old woman whom they accosted for illegal gambling in Quezon City.

The suspects are Police Officers 1 Jayson Portuguez, 29, and Severiano Montalban III, 31, both from the Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 4 in Novaliches.

Portuguez was arrested on Nov. 6 at around 2 a.m. while on duty at the police station after he was identified by the victim, identified only as Maria. Montalban surrendered to QCPD Station 4 commander Superintendent Rossel Cejas at around 7 p.m. on the same day.

An irate Director Guillermo Eleazar, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), presented the two policemen in a media briefing in Camp Bagong Diwa.

Eleazar berated them for being involved in a heinous act despite a similar incident last week wherein a police officer from Manila was arrested on allegations he raped the daughter of a drug suspect in exchange for the suspect’s release.

“Last week alam nyo na ang nangyari. Hindi kayo nag-isip (You know what happened last week. You did not think),” he told the police officers.

Maria, who was at the press conference, said the suspects were on patrol operations when they arrested her and five other women for illegal gambling in a plaza in Barangay Novaliches Proper last Nov. 3 at around 12:20 a.m.

She told police they were brought to the Quezon City General Hospital for medical examination. While at the hospital, she pleaded with the suspects to let her go as her husband was already detained for the same offense.

Maria claimed Montalban told her she needs to have sex with them in exchange for her request.

The victim said the police officers brought her to a patrol vehicle where they took turns raping her. After the incident, the suspects dropped her off along a street while her companions were brought to the police station.

She went to the NCRPO on Monday and lodged a complaint against the suspects.

Eleazar said the suspects are facing charges of violating Republic Act 8353 or the the Anti-Rape Law.

He urged other victims of police abuse to come forward, saying they will not hesitate to remove misfits from the police force.