Court orders arrest of Babaran for rape

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

 A COURT has ordered the arrest of a barangay chairman in the city because of a rape case, police confirmed yesterday.

But the barangay chairman, Achilles Jude Babaran of Pagatpat, is nowhere to be found at presstime. One of his accusers, Rizalinda Loyola, said she feared the official has gone into hiding.

Loyola is the mother of alleged rape victim Nephi Loyola who was found brutally killed inside one of the rooms of Sogo Hotel in Lapasan in July. (This paper had withheld the murder victim’s identity in its previous stories but her family has already come out in the open and gave their consent to name her.)

Chief Insp. Ariel Philip Pontillas, chief of the Agora police, confirmed that a warrant of arrest was already issued against Babaran, and that authorities were looking for him.

Babaran’s arrest was ordered by Judge Jose Escobido of the 38th branch of the Regional Trial Court (RTYC) on Wednesday as a result of the two counts of rape filed against him by the Loyolas, including Nephi who was found dead the same day she was supposed to face a prosecutor handling the rape case against the Pagatpat official.

Pontillas is leading the investigation into the Loyola murder. No suspect has been arrested yet.

In July, Babaran denied during a news conference that he had anything to do with Nephi’s murder. He accused the Loyolas to trying to smear his name because of Pagatpat politics.

Rizalinda called on Babaran to surrender to authorities, and face the rape case in court.

“Mo-surrender na lang    unta siya, dili na siya magtago-tago,” said Rizalinda.

Despite her daughter’s murder, Rizalinda said she would pursue the case against Babaran as the principal complainant.

Rizalinda also called on authorities to exert efforts to arrest Babaran.

“Ambot ngano nga wala pa nila madakpi nga na-a na may warrant of arrest si   kapitan?” she asked.

Babaran was supposed to attend the turnover ceremony for the P7.2-million water system project of the Cagayan  de Oro Water District (COWD) and city hall to over a thousand typhoone “Sendong” survivors living in Barangay Pagatpat. He was a no-show.

Mayor Oscar Moreno received the water system project on behalf of Babaran who represents Pagatpat residents.

“Wala intawon    makatunga karon dinhi si   kapitan kay dunay iyang    problema,” said Moreno. He did not elaborate.