Three suspects in the alleged rape of an 18-year-old female student at the Cogon Public Market on September 10 have been charged, said the Tagbilaran City police chief.
According to Police Supt. Patricio Degay, a rape case has been filed against one Gregorio Bongosia Gabines Jr., a 47-year-old member of the city’s Active Local Emergency Response Team (ALERT).
Meanwhile, the two other suspects were still unidentified and charged as “John Does.”
Degay said that the sole evidence against Gabines, a resident of Barangay Cogon in Tagbilaran, was the victim’s allegation.
Earlier, the victim pinpointed Gabines who was presented at a police lineup as among the three suspects who accosted her on the night she was allegedly raped.
Police are now awaiting the issuance of an arrest warrant against Gabines who, Degay said, is tightly being monitored by authorities.
Degay also said that they are hoping that Gabines would cooperate and help in identifying the two other suspects.
READ: 2 ‘persons of interest’ eyed in Cogon market rape —Tagbilaran PNP chief
In a previous interview, the police chief noted that the other suspect was only described by the victim as “opawon” (slightly shaved head).
READ: Cogon rape suspect to be charged this week —Tagbilaran PNP
So far, no development has been reported by authorities in their hunt for the said suspect.
Degay also said that a closed-circuit television camera mounted near the crime scene which was checked by the police did not show footage of the suspect. (Allen Doydora)