Parañaque police station chief wanted for rape of minor

MANILA, Philippines—The Parañaque police has launched a hunt for the commander of local police precinct who is accused of raping a 15-year-old girl in his car on the parking lot of the city’s central police station.

A special task force, led by Chief Insp.  McVernon Mavera, was created on Wednesday to track down and arrest Senior Insp. Mujalni Dugasan, 55, who is said to be near retirement.

Senior Insp. Rolly Santiago, Parañaque police information officer, said that around 7 p.m Tuesday, the girl went to the Parañaque Police Community Precint 3 looking for a friend. He said Dugasan, the precinct chief, went out and accommodated the victim.

Dugasan befriended the girl and asked for her number.  As she was about to leave, Santiago said, Dugasan offered to bring her home in his Toyota  Innova. The girl agreed, he said. They stopped over at Jollibee-Sucat, and proceeded to the parking lot near the Parañaque Central Station. The rape allegedly occurred around 8:30 p.m. inside the Innova, he said.

After the alleged rape, Dugasan dropped the girl off her at the Amvel Mansion, which Santiago described as an El Shaddai place of worship in Parañaque.

The girl immediately told her parents about the rape  and at around 11 p.m,  the girl’s mother reported the incident to Police Station 5 in San Dionisio, Parañaque.

On Wednesday morning, Capt. Dennis Sirilan of the Station 5 called Dugasan to report to the Central Police Station. However, even before reaching the police station, Dugasan,  who  probably thought “something was wrong,” fled and policemen tried to follow him, Santiago said.

Dugasan was nowhere to be found after he rode a taxi, Santiago added.

The police went to his house in Las Piñas Wednesday morning, but Dugasan was not around. Dugasan’s family, including his two children who are policemen, were tight-lipped about his whereabouts, but invited the media and the police officers to check their house to prove their father was not around, Santiago said.

Santiago said that if Dugasan does not surrender or is apprehended in 36 hours, the police will file rape charges against him. No warrant has been issued for his arrest.

“We still do not have any communication with him. Although, we are of the same agency, we will not tolerate his actions,” Santiago added.

Acting Parañaque Chief of Police Andrei Awayan Felix said they were saddened by the incident and “we will exert all our best efforts for his arrest.”

Dugasan has been in police service since 1978, Santiago said.