By NITZ ARANCON
and LITO RULONA
Correspondents
with JOHN PAUL BARSOPIA
Contributor
THE boyfriend of an alleged gangape victim yielded to authorities on Wednesday night, and strongly denied that he raped his 20-year old sweetheart and allowed her to be abused by four other men in Calaanan on Valentine’s Day.
City police director Senior Supt. Faro Antonio Olaguera said 21-year old Eduardo Cabalo Jr. yielded through former Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) president Jerry Orcullo who lives at PN Roa Subdivision, Calaanan.
The alleged gangape of “Delia” (not her real name) took place at the nearby relocation site for typhoon Sendong survivors in Calaanan.
“Without Ka Jerry (Orcullo), possibly, it won’t have been realized at all,” Olaguera said.
“Let me be very clear that the suspect turn himself over for ‘safekeeping’ pending the filing of the formal charges in court,” Olaguera said.
Orcullo said it was Cabalo’s mother who sought his help because she was afraid for her son’s life.
Cabalo said he went into hiding because he was afraid of the alleged victim’s relatives.
Orcullo wasted no time in handing over the suspect to the Bulua police at around 9 pm on Sunday, said Chief Insp. Alvies Altiche.
Altiche said the suspect strongly denied raping his girlfriend, and maintained that she gave her consent when they went inside an abandoned house at the relocation site.
Altiche said the suspect also told investigators he was unaware that four of his friends took turns in allegedly raping his girlfriend in the abandoned house.
Cabalo is being held by the police at the detention cell at the Bulua terminal.
The women’s rights group Gabriela said it was supporting Delia’s quest for justice.
Gabriela chairperson for Cagayan de Oro Rhodora Bolosan her group met with Delia and her family to
level off expectations, and to plan their moves.
