Kin of girl murdered in Ilocos Sur get threats

VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur, Philippines — Relatives of a 15-year-old girl who was raped and murdered in Ilocos Sur province said they were getting threats as the investigation of the case continued.

Police Staff Sergeants Randy Ramos and Marawi Torda, both assigned to the San Juan police, had been sued for the crime and were relieved from their posts. They are under restrictive custody at the Ilocos regional police headquarters in La Union province.

Melody Saniatan, the victim’s aunt, said the family had to leave their place in Cabugao town in Ilocos Sur for fear of their safety.

Saniatan serves as the girl’s guardian since the victim’s mother works as a domestic helper in Kuwait.

The mother said she last talked with her daughter two days before she was killed on July 2.

“I was totally clueless that my daughter was raped. She never mentioned that to me during our last conversation because she didn’t want me to worry about her,” the mother told the Inquirer in a Facebook chat.

The mother appealed to the government to help her return home.

“I want to be with my daughter before she is buried,” she said.

The chiefs of Cabugao and San Juan police were also relieved from their posts. Police Capt. Dennis Laño, the new Cabugao police chief, said he had ordered his men to patrol the victim’s house although her relatives said they did not want a security team coming from their town.

On June 27, the victim and her 18-year-old cousin attended a friend’s birthday party at Barangay Darao in San Juan. While at the party, the suspects arrested the girls allegedly for violation of the curfew.

According to Saniatan, the two policemen took the girls to a beach where they were reportedly sexually assaulted. Saniatan and the girls had filed a complaint in Cabugao police.

On July 2, the victim was shot and killed by two men on a motorcycle while she was on her way home after following up on their complaint.

—Reports from Leoncio Balbin Jr. and Yolanda Sotelo