Operatives of the El Nido Municipal Police Station (MPS) arrested on Monday a motorcycle dispatcher for allegedly attempting to rape a Spanish national who is vacationing in the municipality.
Police Captain Ric Ramos, the spokesperson of the Palawan Provincial Police Office (PPPO), identified the suspect as Melecio T. Cahilig.
“Nagkaroon po ng insidenteng tangkang paggagahasa sa bayan ng El Nido. Ang biktima ay isang Spanish national at ang suspek naman ay agad-agad na naaresto through follow-up operation. Ito ay dispatcher ng motor sa El Nido. Nagkakilala sila sa [pamamagitan] ng isang kaibigan, ipinakilala po itong biktima at 2:30 a.m. sa isang bar,” Ramos said.
He said based on the initial investigation of the El Nido MPS, at around 4 a.m. on the same day, the suspect invited the victim to spend the night at his house to rest.
The Spanish national allegedly accepted the offer thinking the suspect was just being nice.
While the victim was allegedly laying down on the floor, she felt the suspect touching and kissing her. Cahilig also choked and pointed a knife on her neck, threatening to kill her if she fights back.
“Eventually, sumama itong biktima at noong mga panahon din na ‘yon ay doon nga po nangyari ang tangkang panggagahasa. Talagang pumatong po siya dito sa biktima, subalit hindi naman ito natuloy sapagkat lumaban o talagang dinepensahan ng biktima ang kanyang sarili at dahil dito ay nakatakas itong biktima,” Ramos narrated.
The Spanish national reportedly jumped out of the window to escape.
Ramos said the El Nido MPS did its best to arrest the suspect after the Spanish national reported the attempted rape.
He said when the case was about to be filed, however, the victim no longer cooperated and sought to issue an affidavit of desistance.
“Ginawa ng ating mga pulis ‘yong lahat ng mga dokumento, eventually ay kailangan makuhanan ng mga dokumento upang maisampa ang kaso sa Office of the Provincial Prosecutor ngunit hindi nagkaroon ng kusang loob na ‘yong willingness ng biktima ay hindi po nakita sapagkat ayaw na po nilang makipag-cooperate sa ating mga pulis. Dahil dito, sila ay ayaw ng magsampa ng kaso, sila ay nagpagawa ng affidavit of desistance on ‘yong non-interest to file a case. Ito po ay subscribed ng abogado at ‘yon ang sinumite nila sa ating mga pulis,” he said.
Earlier in February, tricycle driver Perry Gaspe was jailed for the rape of a 21-year old Irish woman in an alley in El Nido.
He was sentenced on February 18 to suffer 12-20 years in jail and pay the victim P100,000 in indemnity.
