Police: Suspects in girl’s rape ‘happy, proud’

A police official said on Thursday that the four men accused of raping a 16-year-old girl were even “happy and proud” about what they did based on a group chat on social media that was leaked to investigators.

“They were talking about it as if what happened was just about people pranking each other…,” said Supt. Rey Magdaluyo, chief of the Manila Police District’s Raxabago, Tondo police station.

Magdaluyo said a criminal complaint had already been filed against the suspects.

They were identified as Angelito Gonzales, 25; brothers Prince Jomari Diwa, 20, and Paul Cedrick Diwa, 18; and John Michael Carmelo. All of them have been arrested.

Based on initial investigation, the Diwa brothers invited the girl to a drinking session on Monday night. Paul Cedrick, Magdaluyo said, was the girl’s friend.

When the girl fell unconscious on Tuesday morning, she was taken to a room where she was raped.

A medical examination showed that she was abused more than once, Magdaluyo said.