Factory worker
acquitted of rape

A former “ice buko” factory worker was cleared of rape charges by a Regional Trial Court Judge in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental, yesterday, on the ground of reasonable doubt.

RTC Branch 61 Judge Henry Arles acquitted Ronald Vargas, 22, and ordered his immediate release, more than three years after he was accused of sexually-molesting a 13-year-old epileptic.

Although Arles said that Vargas’ denial and alibi cannot be given credence, he could not convict him of raping the teenager with moral certainty because the prosecution had not shown evidence that the complainant had put up any resistance during the incident.

Court records show that Vargas, who was working at an “ice buko” factory then, had sexual intercourse with the child in a bamboo plantation on February 13, 2005 after asking the girl to go with him.

In a five-page decision, Arles, however, noted that the complainant, who also had a mental abnormality, did not cry for help during the incident nor was she threatened by Vargas.

In effect, Arles said, the evidence for the prosecution did not show that force or intimidation was used by Vargas before or during the incident for it to constitute the crime of rape.*PP

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Bacolod cops
impound 60 vehicles

Around 60 motorcycles and tricycles were impounded by policemen in Bacolod City at checkpoints Tuesday night as part of their proactive measures against crimes, the police said yesterday.

Nine motorcycles were held at Police Station 2 while the rest were impounded at the Bacolod City Police Office Traffic Management Unit for lack of documents, BCPO director, Senior Supt. Ronilo Quebrar, said.

He said the campaign aims to intercept vehicles suspected of having been stolen, and would-be thieves who use motorcycles in staging robberies in the city.

Police Station 2 commander, Senior Inspector Luisito Acebuche, said those apprehended either lacked proofs of registration, official receipts, or valid drivers’ licenses for their motorcycles.

Some of the owners have documents but they were not updated, he added.

Once the motorists show them updated copies of their vehicles’ papers and pay for the violation tickets at the designated government agencies, the motorcycles will be released, Acebuche said.

The tricycles impounded at the BCPO-TMU, meanwhile, lacked the conduction sticker required by the city government, Quebrar said.

Senior Inspector Levy Pangue, BCPO-TMU chief, said that they have been reminding operators and drivers of public utility vehicles in Bacolod to get the necessary documents so they could be given their new conduction stickers.

Both Acebuche and Pangue called on PUV operators and drivers to get the required permits to avoid inconvenience.

Meanwhile, Quebrar said they are also trying to prevent “budol-budol” gang members from victimizing more people, weeks after the arrest of a couple suspected to be involved in the theft of around P2 million in cash and valuables, from at least 12 different families around Negros Occidental.

Yesterday, a house at Celine Homes, Brgy. Estefania was burglarized by still unidentified persons who took a cellphone, and a DVD and MP3 player.

The residents of the subdivision said a number of robberies have gone unsolved in their area, which is under Police Station 4.

Police Station 4 commander, Chief Inspector, Santiago Rapiz, however, said, that the robberies in Brgy. Estefania, and at Celine Homes in particular, are “manageable.”

Their usual suspects, Rapiz said, are teenaged rugby boys roaming around the area.

He said that they have routinely arrested these rugby users and have filed charges against those of legal age.

Rapiz also said that homeowners can help the police prevent burglaries by securing their houses, and immediately reporting the presence of strangers and unusual noise around them to the police.*PP

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