Roxas orders manhunt for Roxas City man in heinous rape

Interior Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas II directed the Roxas City police in Capiz province Friday to hunt down a tricycle driver who was allegedly involved in the sexual and physical assault of a 19-year-old student who suffered 21 stab wounds.

In a separate interview, Senior Police Officer 1 Rosario Aller Olaveja of Roxas City police’s Women and Children Protection Division, identified the alleged missing suspect as Jacklin Elauria, 22, who was said to have raped and stabbed the victim (name withheld), along with another arrested suspect Jessie de la Cruz, 30.

Olaveja said the incident occurred in a hilly portion of Barangay (village) Dinginan in Roxas City around 12 midnight last Wednesday when the victim, who was on her way home from a wake, rode Elauria’s tricycle. De la Cruz was said to have been seated at the back.

The suspects allegedly declared a heist, took the victim’s valuables, and then dragged the teenager to a secluded spot where they allegedly took turns in raping the victim before stabbing her with the use of a screw driver.

“After siyang saksakin, nagpatay patayan s’ya kaya akala siguro nila na patay na talaga kasi marami nang saksak . . . hindi nila alam na hindi pala fatal yung iba,” Olaveja said.

She said the victim managed to stand up and walk some 500 meters toward the highway where she attended the wake.

“Bumalik s’ya kung saan s’ya nag vigil at don s’ya humingi ng tulong,” Olaveja added.

Olaveja said De la Cruz was arrested in a follow-up operation, while a hot pursuit operation continues for the arrest of Elauria.

She said authorities proceeded to Elauria’s residence a day after the incident, but only found the suspect’s father who claimed that his son had not returned home with the tricycle after the incident.

“Condemnation is a word that falls short to describe this crime, especially because it happened during the Christmas season. I have instructed the Capiz Provincial Police Office to set aside festivities for now and devote all the personnel they can to arrest the suspect,” Roxas said.

Apart from ordering a full manhunt on the suspects, the DILG chief also directed the Roxas City Police chief and the Capiz Police Provincial director to implement measures to prevent any more case of sexual assault in the province.

He ordered them to deploy more police officers in the barangays to ensure police visibility. Roxas also instructed authorities to conduct a crackdown against colorum tricycle drivers to prevent a similar modus used in attacking female passengers.