Suspect in daughter’s rape-slay nabbed after almost 8 months in hiding

SAN MATEO, Isabela- A 58-year-old farmer was arrested in a remote village in Nagtipunan town in Quirino province on Friday after almost eight months in hiding for allegedly raping and killing his own daughter, police said Saturday.

The suspect had allegedly shown remorse for his misdeed when arrested for raping and killing his then 13-year-old daughter in Barangay Bella Luz in San Mateo town in Isabela province, Police Major Abdel Aziz Maximo, San Mateo police chief, said.

The suspect was tracked down after receiving information that he has been in hiding in a mountainous part in Nagtipunan with his live-in partner.

Judge Ariel Palce of the Regional Trial Court-Branch 40 has issued an arrest warrant on May 19 for the suspect’s arrest for rape with homicide. No bail was recommended for his freedom.

Maximo said they faced difficulties in locating the suspect as he had been staying at a nipa house in the far-flung upland village. The police have to hike for a few kilometers before reaching the mountainous place.

On October 27, 2020, the victim’s naked and bloodied body was found dumped at an irrigation canal in Bella Luz village in San Mateo. It was later learned through investigations that the young victim was raped and then killed by her own father.

The victim’s brother said he and his wife went to a clinic for the latter’s pre-natal check-up and left the victim who was answering her modules from school. The girl had been staying with her brother since their father abandoned them and their mother, who is working overseas, for another woman.

When they arrived at night, they were surprised that the house was in disarray and the victim was nowhere to be found.

She was later found dumped at the irrigation canal, about 300 meters away from the house.

The local government last year offered a P235,000 bounty for the arrest of the victim’s attacker.

/MUF