Rodelas slay: 2 hunted suspects face rape raps

The Quezon City Police District on Friday said rape charges will also be filed against two of the suspects in the murder of part-time model Julie Ann Rodelas.

The two men in question remain at large, but the charges against them will be based on the statement of another suspect and the autopsy report, according to QCPD director Chief Supt. Mario dela Vega.

Also on Friday, the city prosecutor’s office formally filed murder charges against three arrested suspects in the Rodelas killing, namely fellow model Althea Altamirano, her boyfriend Fernando Quiambao Jr., and Jaymar Waradji.

The murder case was raffled off to Acting Presiding Judge Tita Marlyn Villordon of Quezon City Regional Trial Court’s Branch 223.

Rodelas was abducted in the early morning of Nov. 6 in Pasay City and was shot dead hours later in Cubao, Quezon City, her body dumped from Quiambao’s Mitsubishi Montero.

When arrested last week, Altamirano admitted in media interviews that she wanted to teach Rodelas “a lesson” for spreading rumors about her having two kids, but claimed that she never thought her boyfriend would go the extent of having her killed.

The abduction and killing was carried out allegedly with the help of Quiambao’s friends in Barangay Culiat, Quezon City.

Rodelas, an Arellano University student who took modelling jobs to support her studies, is scheduled to be buried today at Golden Haven cemetery in Las Piñas City.

In a press conference, Dela Vega said Efren Talib and a certain Aldos, both still at large, are facing a supplemental charge of rape based on Waradji’s confession and the results of the autopsy on the 20-year-old victim.

The official cited Waradji’s account of Rodelas’ brief captivity at the hands of Talib and Aldos at a house in Salaam Compound, Barangay Culiat.

In a sworn statment, Waradji recalled Talib saying “okay na, tapos na ako (Ok, I’m done)” after coming out of a room where the victim was held.

Aldos was also heard telling Waradji: “Itatapon niyo rin lang naman ito, papakinabangan ko muna (Since you’re getting rid of her, anyway, I might as well have a use for her first).”

Waradji also claimed hearing the victim screaming “huwag po, huwag po (don’t do it)!” while in a room with Talib.

Regarding the autopsy report, Dela Vega said “there were findings of deep-healed laceration in the genital area” of the victim.

But when asked if the findings categorically pointed to rape, the police official said: “Let the court decide on that. That’s beyond our authority already.”

Medico legal officer Supt. Bonifacio Chua explained that the deep-healed laceration stated in the report indicated that there was penetration, but declined to say whether that condition preceded Rodelas’ abduction and murder.