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9 rape charges filed vs 'communist rebel leader'

Philippines | National

9 rape charges filed vs 'communist rebel leader'

By Jeffrey Damicog

DOJ

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed nine counts of rape against an alleged communist rebel leader for “sexually abusing’ his former female subordinate.

Prosecutor General A. Malcontento said the charges were filed against Joel Caliliw who has been arrested and detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology’s (BJMP) provincial jail in Solano, Nueva Viscaya.

The charges were filed before the regional trial court (RTC) in Tayug, Pangasinan last March 14, and before the RTC in San Jose City in Nueva Ecija last March 17.

A DOJ panel of prosecutors had conducted the preliminary investigation and, thereafter, recommended the filing of the criminal charges, Malcontento said.

The complainant was identified by the DOJ as “Lady Miranda” who was a former member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), New People’s Army (NPA), and National Democratic Front (NDF).

“The filing of these charges arose from the ordeals suffered by complainant from Joel Caliliw who sexually abused her without consent, through force, violence, and intimidation and who took advantage of his authority over her as Vice Platoon Commanding Officer of their platoon thrice in March 2018 at Carrangalan, Nueva Ecija and at least six times in April 2018 at Umingan, Pangasinan,” the DOJ said.

“Respondent Caliliw’s alibis, denial of allegations of rape, and imputing blame on Lady Miranda are self-serving and deserves no weight in law. Instead, the unequivocal statements of Lady Miranda and the fact that she was able to positively identify respondent Caliliw as the culprit are given more credence,” it added.

The DOJ had also filed two rape cases against alleged CPP/NPA/NDF squad leader and vice commander Rey Dela Peña based on complaints also filed by “Lady Miranda.”

Dela Pena is detained at the police station in Bambang town in Nueva Vizcaya.

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