Rape, attempted rape cases vs Southern Leyte governor junked

MAASIN CITY, Philippines — The prosecutions office of Southern Leyte has dismissed the controversial rape and attempted rape charges against Governor Christopherson Yap.

The resolution — signed by associate provincial prosecutor Efren Mendoza, and approved by OIC provincial prosecutor Raymundo Clavejo — declared that the complainant "failed to establish probable cause" to bring this case before the court.

The filing of the complaint was supported by the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) advocates of Cebu City.

Yap, for his part, had refused to make comments on the prosecution's decision, despite calls and text messanges from The Freeman and The Philippine Star, and continued to eschew media interviews.

Earlier, Yap and his family consistently denied the rape accusation of the victim, who alleged in her affidavit that she was 16 at the time she was sexually molested by the governor.

The same resolution also said that the complainant failed to convince the prosecutions office that there was rape and attempted rape committed on her.

The family of the complainant has no words yet to give to the media regarding the dismissal order.