Do not attempt to have sex with girls aged below 18 years old.

Philip Pecache, the National Bureau of Investigation-Bacolod officer-in-charge, issued this warning yesterday, two days after his office recommended the filing of charges against a Bacoleño for violation of Republic Act 7610, or the Anti-Child Abuse Act.

Named in a complaint filed by the NBI before the City Prosecutor's Office was Eduardo Tan of Gonzaga Extension, Doña Juliana Subdivision, who allegedly enticed, persuaded, induced and coerced a 15-year-old girl to engage in sexual intercourse with him on 12 different occasions at Jade Court 2 in Barangay Alijis, and at the Omar Pension House in the Shopping Center, from July to September last year.

The girl's name is being withheld by the DAILY STAR.

RA 7610 is amended as an act giving special protection of children against child abuse, exploitation and discrimination.

"There was no force against the girl, but then, again, because of her age, there was still a violation of the child abuse act," Pecache said, adding that Tan may have courted the victim.

He said it was the victim's mother who filed the complaint after she noticed that her daughter did not want to sleep beside her.

The mother later discovered that her daughter was skipping classes in school where she is usually met by Tan, Pecache said, adding that the suspect is aged between 30 to 40 years old and is reportedly married.

It is an affair between a man and women, so, were if not for the age of the girl, there could have been no violation, the NBI-Bacolod chief said.

Pecache said the NBI has yet to apprehend Tan, pending the issuance of an arrest warrant by the City Prosecutor's Office.*CPT

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