Three men accused of gang-raping deaf-mute

Police arrested three men for allegedly gang-raping a 19-year-old deaf-mute in barangay Dos, Tuburan town, northwest of Cebu.

Ronald Gulane, 18, Welbert Molet, 23, and Joseph Anthony Bito-onan, 19, were arrested several hours after the alleged rape.

The three suspects denied any wrongdoing, police said. The suspects are residents of barangay Dos.

Police investigation showed that the alleged abuse occurred while the woman was walking home after attending a benefit dance around 4 a.m. yesterday.

PO1 Joseph Bejer of the Tuburan police said that while the girl was walking along a road, three men grabbed her and brought her to a grassy area where she was allegedly raped.

The culprits abandoned the victim in the grassy area. A concerned citizen helped the victim report the incident to the police.

Police went to the area where the victim was allegedly raped but the suspect were nowhere to be found.

Around 11 a.m., the victim accompanied the police to the house of Bito-onan.

Police said the woman identified Bito-onan as the one of the suspects when she saw the man about leave his house.

Bito-onan did not resist arrest, police said.

Police said Bito-onan squealed on the whereabouts of Molet and Gulane that led to their arrests.

Police said rape charges will be filed against three men who are detained at the Tuburan police station.

The victim will undergo physical examination and stress debriefing to cope up from the trauma, police said. /Correspondent Joy Cherry S. Quito