American accused of rape seeks embassy aid

THE 66-year-old American accused of molesting a 21-year-old female resident of Liloan town remains detained at the Talisay City police office after he failed to file a counter-affidavit in response to the charges against him.

A Talisay City jail officer who requested anonymity claimed that Richard Dunn, who presently resides in sitio Cainta, barangay Pooc, Talisay City, told him that he already secured a lawyer from the US embassy.

Cebu Daily News saw one of Dunn’s female companions help him call the US embassy for assistance.

The female companion who declined to be named, said she was just a friend of Dunn.

Charges of illegal detention with rape were filed against Dunn by the woman who claimed that he kept her at his rented apartment in Aqua Cainta Resort owned by barangay captain Doroteo Emit from Nov. 15 to 18.

In her affidavit, the woman said Dunn abused her in his apartment after he had lunch with her in a fastfood outlet in Tabunok, Talisay City at 3 p.m. last Nov. 15.

The woman earlier met Dunn in an online chat session where he offered her a job.

When they went to his apartment, the woman said Dunn prohibited her from going home and told her that he wanted her to be his fiancee rather than his employee.

She said the American even told her that he wanted to go with her to her home in Liloan town. Barangay captain Emit, who owned the resort where the American and the girl stayed, reported her ordeal to the authorities.

He learned about her condition after confronting Dunn who wore sandals in the pool area in violation of resort rules.

When the woman mediated between them, Emit said the woman shared to him her experience at Dunn’s hands. Correspondent Tweeny M. Malinao