Teen ‘sexually molested’ by neighbor

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Rape charges are being readied against a 20-year-old man who allegedly sexually molested his 15-year-old neighbor in Cauayan, Negros Occidental last Friday.

Police Major Lowell Garinganao, town police chief, said the victim and the suspect, whose names were withheld, along with some friends drank liquor Friday evening.

The victim went out to urinate when the suspect followed and accompanied her.

However, the suspect allegedly dragged her to the nearby sugarcane field where he purportedly forced himself on her.

The suspect then told their companions that a woman was missing.

Police responded and found the victim half-naked, early the following day. She was also crying.

Garinganao said the suspect, who was later arrested, denied the allegations against him despite his inconsistent statements and positive identification by the victim.

Garinganao said the medical examination indicated that the victim suffered lacerations in her sexual organ.

But she failed to file the case through inquest proceedings, thus the suspect was released from police custody.

The case will fall under regular filing, he added.