Farmer who misled police arrested for rape, killing of cousin

ILOILO CITY—A farmer was arrested for the alleged rape and killing of his 19-year-old cousin in the town of Janiuay, Iloilo province.

Capt. Dadje Delima, Janiuay police chief, said the farmer also forced his 15-year-old son to rape the victim and restrain her while the farmer was raping her.

The INQUIRER is withholding the farmer’s name to protect the identity of his son who will testify against his father.

The 42-year-old farmer confessed to the crime, however, on Monday, Oct. 28, after earlier denying it.

The victim, identified by police as Ronalyn Bravio, a business administration student, was found naked and dead at a rice field on Saturday, Oct. 26.

She had just gone to the store.

Police said she had been beaten and stabbed.

Delima quoted the farmer as saying he had been “obssessed” with the victim and planned the rape.

The farmer’s son had tried to save his father by telling investigators that he and several other teenagers were the ones responsible for the rape and killing.

On Saturday, police arrested an 18-year-old identified by the son as a participant in the crime. He was released later after the farmer’s son admitted that he lied.

He then pointed to his father as the perpetrator, telling police his father dragged the victim and raped her then ordered him to also rape the victim.

Delima said the father had directed his son to mislead investigators.

The farmer was arrested on Sunday but repeatedly denied the crime, insisting on an alibi—he was at a friend’s house in a drinking spree at the time.

The farmer even went to the extent of accompanying his son and policemen supposedly in search of suspects.

Delima said the farmer confessed after he was told he would be subjected to DNA tests.

The farmer is now detained at the Janiuay police station./TSB