CEBU, Philippines - A 13-year-old girl believed to have been raped was found dead, her naked body hog-tied, yesterday in a ravine in Barangay Ablayon, Dalaguete town.
The girl, whose mouth was stuffed with a piece of underwear believed to be hers, also suffered a broken neck.
Police Officer 1 Julie Villahermosa of Dalaguete Police Station said a resident near the area noticed the body at a grassy ravine in Sitio Tulayon at past 6 a.m. yesterday, prompting him to call the attention of barangay officials.
The girl, a Grade 7 student, is a resident of Barangay Mantalongon but is said to be working for a couple in Barangay Ablayon.
She was last seen at past 6 p.m. on Saturday taking a bus ride from the town proper to Barangay Ablayon and had since gone missing.
Villahermosa said the victim could have been followed by the perpetrator or a group of perpetrators and was possibly raped before she was killed.
He said a rope was seen tied around the victim’s neck, legs, and body and her underwear stuffed into her mouth.
Responding policemen found a piece of slipper at the crime scene which they believe to have been left behind by the perpetrator while trying to flee after throwing out the body.
They believe that the girl was killed somewhere else then thrown into the ravine.
Villahermosa said they found traces that the girl was raped but they cannot conclusively declare it yet without the result of the autopsy.
Investigation is ongoing, although police said they now have a person of interest. (FREEMAN)