Metro Briefs: July 11, 2019

MANILA, Philippines — A city hall employee who worked in an office tasked with ensuring Marikina City’s security was fired by Mayor Marcelino Teodoro this week after a 23-year-old woman accused him of rape.

The woman said that Arren Atanacio, a traffic aide at the Office of Public Safety and Security, raped her while she was sleeping at the Marikina Sports Center on Saturday.

Atanacio had allegedly told the woman she could spend the night at the Junior Police headquarters on the third floor of the arena because it was “dangerous to go home at night.”

The Junior Police is a program for young people who want to help man traffic in the city.

Atanacio was a trainer for the program, while the woman had signed on as a volunteer.

An examination conducted by the crime laboratory of the Eastern Police District proved the victim had been sexually abused.

Atanacio was previously charged with different forms of abuse, including hazing and sexual advances, by around 13 individuals aged 14 to 26. —Matthew Reysio-Cruz and Maxine Sta. Cruz

Probe of 3-year-old girl’s death in drug bust pushed

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros has filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the killing of a 3-year-old girl during an alleged buy-bust operation in Rizal province last month.

Hontiveros said she was hoping for a fair and judicious hearing as she called on Sen. Ronaldo dela Rosa to be “professional and mature.”

Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief, is expected to chair the public order and dangerous drugs committee to which the resolution would likely be referred.

He had said he would look into the killing of Myka Ulpina, who was reportedly used by her father as a human shield when the police tried to arrest him for drugs. —Leila B. Salaverria