A 39-year old teacher was arrested for the alleged rape of a 13-year old student in Bacolod City, August 27.
The report says that the suspect first tried to rape the student last April inside their school’s comfort room but he did not succeed.
According to the police authorities’ initial report, it is the victim’s brother who caught the suspect in the act.
Police Major Sherlock Gabana says, “Nakita niya (kapatid) ang biktima, wala nang damit pang-baba” (He saw that he sister is no longer wearing underwear.)
However, the suspect denied the alleged rape of 13-year old student saying that he and the student have a romantic relationship. He said that he fell in love with the minor student who is just at the same age as one of his daughters.
The victim’s parents say that they were surprised when the teacher started to give gifts to their daughter. They also said he would frequently walk the student home.
Gabana added, “Welcome naman daw ang guro sa pamilya ng biktima pero hindi bilang lover o kasintahan ng bata,” (The victim’s family said that the teacher is welcome in their family but not as a lover or boyfriend of their daughter.)
The suspect now faces rape charges while the victim will need to undergo a medical examination.
Rape in the Philippines
According to the Center for Women’s Resources (CWR) records, one child is raped every hour in the Philippines as of 2017. The issue of rape in the Philippines is an ongoing battle cry for women’s rights.
One of the biggest concerns with the Anti-Rape Law of 1997 is the minimum age of giving consent which is 12 years old. Another is the penalty for convicted rapist which is life imprisonment or a maximum of 40 years. Many groups of women activists push the death penalty for rape.
One of the most heinous rape crimes that happened in the Philippines is the Eileen Sarmenta rape-murder case committed by ex-mayor Antonio Sanchez.