Laguna teen in ‘suicide’ case shows marks of ‘possible’ assault

SAN PEDRO CITY – An autopsy conducted on the body of a 17-year-old female in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna showed “possible” signs of sexual assault, authorities said Wednesday.

Dr. Roy Camarillo, chief of the police medico-legal team in Calabarzon, said the cause of death was “asphyxia by hanging,” bolstering earlier police findings that the victim committed suicide.

Forensics also found “deep, healed lacerations” in the victim’s genitals.

Supt. Eugene Orate, Sta. Rosa City police chief, said the teen was found dead in their home in Barangay Caingin on January 2.

Police, however, had to come in for an investigation after the victim’s close friends and relatives later surfaced claiming the victim had been raped multiple times by her father and that this and her mother’s alleged inaction may have forced her to commit suicide.

The police attempted thrice before they were able to convince the parents, who own a small sari-sari store in the village, to submit their daughter’s remains for an autopsy.

“I told them (parents) that given all these allegations (of a crime), the only way to shed light was for them to allow the autopsy,” Orate said in a separate interview.

Both Orate and Camarillo said the autopsy results showed “possible” signs of rape although these remain inconclusive.

“Healed lacerations mean the (sexual) penetration was at least three weeks old. (The contact) could be (caused by) rape or could be consensual,” Camarillo said.

Orate said they were still gathering evidence and witnesses’ statements in relation to the case. /lzb