Silay City Regional Trial Court Judge Reynaldo Alon yesterday issued an arrest warrant against Charles Balbon Sr., a businessman tagged by the police to be the alleged financier of an illegal drug trade in Silay City, Negros Occidental, who has been charged for three counts of rape for the molestation of a minor.

However, the serving of the arrest warrant against Balbon Sr., alias Boss, met a hitch when the police noted that the name of the accused was stated as Charles Balbon Jr., Silay police chief Celestino Guara said.

The separate information filed by Ma. Lisa Lorraine Atotubo, City Prosecutor of Silay, named Charles Balbon Jr. alias Boss, as the respondent in the three counts of rape.

However, Guara said he noted that the dispositve portion of the resolution of Atotubo dated Aug. 31, recommending the filing of multiple rape charges against Balbon, states "wherefore, let three informations for rape be filed against the accused Charles Balbon Sr."

He stressed that the respondent is not Balbon Jr. but Balbon Sr.

Court records show that the respondent had sexual intercourse several times with the 11-year-old complainant in February and April last year, and on Feb. 10 this year.

The medical certificate of the victim, whose identity is being withheld by the DAILY STAR, issued by Dr. Sabina Damazo showed a healed laceration in the sexual organ of the minor.

Balbon also has pending cases for violation of RA 7610 and Consented Abduction at the Bacolod City Prosecutor's Office.

In his counter-affidavit, Balbon, vehemently denied the accusations of the minor.

He added that, being a well-known businessman, the malicious charge againt him is motivated by people who want to put him down.

Balbon stressed that if he wanted to have any sexual relationship, he could easily find women of legal age, and "committing a sexual act with a child will never arouse him."

Manuel Bayona and Mesany Dequillo, witnesses of the respondent, said Balbon never allowed children to get inside his house.

The name of Balbon Sr. is listed in the drug watch list of the Silay police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Atotubo, in three separation informations she had filed in court, had recommended no bail for two rape cases, and P120,000 as bail for another rape case, against Balbon.

She said "The prosecution finds sufficient evidence to engender a well-founded belief that respondent committed (acts of rape, one of which made through force, threat or intimidation), and should be held for trial."*GPB

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