MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the police to profile persons who could be the possible “serial rapist” preying on young girls in Quezon province.
Lt. Gen. Archie Gamboa, officer-in-charge of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said Duterte mentioned the instruction at the sidelines of the situation briefing on the steam-driven eruption of Taal Volcano held at the Batangas Provincial Sports Complex in Batangas City on Tuesday.
“He mentioned my name thrice [there]. First, his concern [was] in Quezon, the rise in rape victims and sabi niya (he said), ‘As OIC, you [should] take care [of it] and profile probable suspects in this crime,’” Gamboa said in an interview with reporters at Camp Crame on Wednesday.
He said the directive was already relayed to the Quezon police director, since Calabarzon police chief Brig. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. was also present in the situation briefing.
Just on Monday, Duterte had raised concern over the series of rape incidents recorded in the province.
“There are things I want to bring attention to the Filipino people, especially ‘yung rape ng mga bata. Wala nang kahinto-hinto (the rape of children. It’s nonstop). ‘Yung Quezon (In Quezon) there’s somebody there who is a serial rapist. Kahapon mayroon na naman ni-rape at pinatay (Someone was raped and killed yesterday)” said Duterte.
“Hanapin nila kung sinuman ‘yan at huwag na nila buhayin (Find that person and don’t let him live),” he added.
Two days after, Ricardo Bongalon Burce, the 55-year-old suspect in the rape-slay of an eight-year-old girl in Candelaria town was found dead inside the custodial facility of the municipal police station.
Local police reported that Burce did not respond when a fellow inmate tried to wake him up at about 6 a.m. Inmates then noticed that he was no longer breathing.
Lt. Col. Jezreel Calderon, Candelaria police director, said they suspect that the man died of acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis or more commonly known as “bangungot.”
He added that investigators found no bruises on the body of Burce.
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