A 34-year-old-man is facing rape with homicide charges after he was arrested as the alleged suspect for the rape and killing of a seven-year-old girl in Trece Martires.
According to Trece Martires PNP, suspect John Paul Baluyot, who is a construction worker and the godfather of the kid whose alias is Nene, allegedly raped and killed the victim on Holy Thursday.
Nene was found along a river bank dead without clothing and bore wounds all over her body.
She was rushed to General Emilio Aguinaldo Memorial Hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.
The authorities were able to track down the suspect with the help of CCTV footage and apprehended him at a construction site in Barangay San Agustin, Dasmariñas Cavite.
Based on the initial investigation, the suspect had a drinking session with the victim’s father before the incident.
The suspect offered to accompany the victim after she told her father that she wanted to go for a swim in the river.
“Dinala po niya sa kawayanan yung bata at doon niya po hinalay. Noong nakita na po ng isang by-stander [yung suspek] ay sinigawan at agad pong tumakbo yung suspek.” said Plt. Col Jonathan Asnan in an interview with 24 Oras.
The suspect admitted the crime and apologized to the victim’s family.
“Sana, sir, kulong na lang ako. ‘Wag na nila ako gawan ng masama na patayin. Kulong na lang po nila ako, sir,” said the suspect in an ABS CBN News report.
Meanwhile, the victim’s mother, Mary Ann, who is an OFW returned home on Monday night.
Mary Ann was met by staff and officials of the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and escorted her home to Cavite.
Photo courtesy of OWWA Calamba FB Page
Upon arriving, the victim’s family got emotional and Mary Ann fainted when she saw her daughter in the coffin. She said it was painful for her to go home without her child because she was one the reason why she went abroad. The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and DMW pledged they will cover all the expenses for the burial and will also provide financial and legal assistance for the family.
