66-year-old rape suspect arrested in Misamis Oriental

MANTICAO, Misamis Oriental – A 66-year old man accused of statutory rape in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan was arrested while in hiding here, police authorities here said Wednesday.

Senior Insp. Enrique Belaca-ol, the police chief here, said Artemio Belecario was arrested in Barangay (village) Pagawan here on Tuesday.

Belecario faces four counts of statutory rape and acts of lasciviousness at the sala of Judge Jose Bayani Usman of Regional Trial Court Branch 50 in Puerto Princesa City for the 2014 alleged rape of a niece of his wife, Belaca-ol said.

He said the suspect, who had been working as a poultry farm helper here, will be temporarily detained at the office of the police’s Regional Intelligence Unit in Northern Mindanao and will be turned over to the Puerto Princesa police soon.

Belicario told the Inquirer he decided to hide in Pagawan, where a relative lives, after being accused of raping his wife’s niece.

However, he denied the allegations against him.

Belaca-ol said it’s up to Belicario to prove his innocence in court, but added that the suspect could not post bail.

“The case of Belicario is non-bailable,” he said.

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