Mayor, vice mayor charged with rape

A beauty pageant contestant has filed rape charges in the Department of Justice (DOJ) against the mayor and vice mayor of Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija.

The 17-year-old victim, who represented Pantabangan in the province’s Miss Teen Tourism pageant in 2011, claimed that Mayor Romeo Borja Sr. and his son, Vice Mayor Romeo Borja Jr., repeatedly raped her from May 2011 to November 2012 with the help of her elder cousins.

The complaints were filed against the Borjas on March 7. The victims’ camp disclosed the cases to the media last week, claiming they were worried that the DOJ would again take a long time to resolve the case.

Last year, the younger Borja was also sued by another beauty pageant contestant and a house help for rape. Only the house help, who became pregnant, decided to pursue the case, the disposition of which has been pending at the  DOJ since it was submitted for resolution last December.

In the latest case, the victim’s mother filed separate complaints against the Borjas for violating Republic Act No. 10364 or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012, and RA 8353 or the Anti-Rape Law in relation to RA 7610, the Anti-Child Abuse Law.

The mother also filed complaints against two of her nieces—Myrna and Alice (not their real names)—who allegedly acted as the Borjas’ accomplices.

In her sworn statement at the Women and Children Protection Desk of the Philippine National Police, the victim claimed she was raped by Mayor Borja several times from April 2011 to November 2012 and also by Vice Mayor Borja from

May 2011 to April 2012.

The girl, who was only  15 years old at the time the rapes started, said Mayor Borja first raped her on April 15, 2011, inside a room at the Century Hotel in Angeles City, Pampanga, where Myrna brought her supposedly for a prepageant dress rehearsal.

Mayor Borja, she said, threatened to hurt her and her family if she reported the rape, but promised to reward her with money and gifts if she would cooperate and stay silent.

The same scenario was repeated on April 27, 2011, also inside a room at the Century Hotel.

The girl claimed the vice mayor first raped her inside a Cabanatuan City motel in

May 17,2011, and in a restaurant bar in July 27, 2011.

She said she was raped by the elder Borja at the mayor’s office and in a hotel in San Jose City on May 14, 2011.

On February 2012, she said the mayor raped her again inside the Century Hotel and once again on Nov. 13, 2012, inside the Heritage Hotel in Pasay City after Myrna again delivered her to the mayor who was playing in the hotel’s casino.

When asked why she allowed herself to be used by her cousins, the victim claimed they were blackmailing her and threatened to tell her parents about what happened to her and the mayor. She said she was also living under Myrna’s guardianship during the time.

The victim also said she was scared of the mayor, who allegedly hurt her physically and even threatened her family.

She said she couldn’t bear to tell her parents. Her mother was working abroad at the time while her father had a delicate heart ailment.

She said the vice mayor also threatened to hurt her if she told her parents or cried rape.

Attached to the girl’s complaints and sworn statement was a medico-legal report from the PNP Crime Lab, which showed signs of rape.