Mayor Gomez wished that the suspects ‘nanlaban’
By: Joey A. Gabieta
ORMOC CITY- Four rape suspects who were separately arrested by the elements of the Ormoc City Police were presented before the members of the local media on Friday (Sept. 20) by Mayor Richard Gomez who expressed his horror on the crimes they committed against young girls.
The alleged rape suspects were identified as Leonilo Talatayod, 52; Juanito Yahot, 40; Magno Laroya, 68; and Crisanto Ruta, 38.All were from Ormoc City.
Talatayod, who was accused of raping his eight year old step-daughter for 24 times sometimes in June of 2015, was arrested in Quezon City on September 17; Yahot was the prime suspect in the rape of his nine-year old step-daughter between April to May,2014 and was arrested in Indang, Cavite on September 16; Laroya is accused of committing act of lasciviousness against a six-year old minor in October,2017 and was arrested on Sept.17 in San Pedro, Laguna; and Ruta, accused of raping a 13-year old girl and was arrested on Sept.14 in Bicutan, Taguig City.
Mayor Gomez said that he finds it revolting that the accused committed rape involving minors.
“I am mad because number 1, they committed rape and number two, they involved minors. By raping the minors, they also destroyed their future,” he said.
Without mincing words, the city mayor said that had these rape suspects resisted during their arrests, they could have a different ending.
The city mayor was probably referring to the ‘nanlaban’ stand against crime suspects, particularly those involving drug suspects, which have been often used by police authorities in gunning down them, citing self-defense.
Mayor Gomez said that these suspects would be temporarily brought to the Ormoc City Police Station for documentation before they would be presented to the courts that issued their arrest warrants.
He also said that he would see to it that the young minors allegedly rape by the suspects would be given assistance by the city government.
“We will see to it that these minors would be given interventions by the city government. But we have to protect them being minors,” Gomez said.
Gomez said that he is thankful for the job well done of the city police for the successful arrests of the rape suspects.
Police Colonel Demosthenes Magnaan, city police director, said that the arrests of the suspects materialized due to the help of the civilians who knew the whereabouts of these suspects.
And with the help of Mayor Gomez, primarily on logistics, they conducted their manhunt operations in coordination with the local police where the suspects went into hiding.
“Our point here, we will arrest you wherever you hide in the Philippines and serve justice to the minor victims,” Magnaan said.
