6 Olongapo cops accused of raping female drug suspect

PAMPANGA, Philippines – Criminal and administrative charges were filed against 6 policemen in Olongapo City for allegedly raping and maltreating a female drug suspect inside Police Station 5.

Senior Superintendent Melchor Cabalza III, Olongapo City police director, said on Wednesday, October 18, that the 30-year-old female complainant had waited until she was transferred to the Olongapo City Jail managed by the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology before she disclosed her ordeal.

Cabalza said he personally filed rape charges against his men at the Olongapo City Prosecutor’s Office on October 4.

Named respondents in the case are:

• Police Officer 1 Raymond Diaz
• Police Officer 3 Diosdado Alterado
• Police Officer 3 Stevie Rivera
• Police Officer 2 Nelson Abalos
• Police Officer 1 Ed Mesias
• Police Officer 1 Gaylord Calara

“I also filed administrative charges against these men,” Cabalza said, adding that the 6 cops had been placed under restrictive custody inside the city police headquarters. 

According to a police report obtained by Rappler, the incident took place inside Police Station 5 in Barangay Sta Rita at past 1 am on June 29 

The investigation showed that Calara released the female drug suspect from detention and ordered her to take out the garbage.

After returning to the police station, the policeman instructed her to proceed to the office where she was allegedly ordered to dance naked but she refused.  Due to intimidation and fear for her life, she danced, but with her clothes on.

While she was dancing, 5 of the 6 policemen left the room, leaving only Diaz, who allegedly forced himself on the inmate.

She reportedly begged Diaz to put her back inside the detention facility but the cop ignored her request. The 5 other policemen then entered the office and one of them allegedly told her, “Sino ba ang gusto mong maka-sex bago ka maibiyahe bukas (Who among us do you want to have sex with before your transfer tomorrow)?”

After a few minutes, she said a male inmate entered the office. The two inmates were then allegedly ordered to have sexual intercourse while the policemen watched. 

“After the incident, they (inmates) were returned to their detention cell as if nothing happened,” the police report said.

A source said that the cop-suspects denied the allegation against them. 

There have been a number of allegations of human rights abuses committed by police in the war on drugs, affecting public trust in President Rodrigo Duterte and public appreciation of his performance.  (READ: Most Filipinos believe EJKs happen in war on drugs – poll)

A few days after the Social Weather Stations released lower public satisfaction and trust ratings for Duterte, the President took the Philippine National Police off the war on drugs and tasked the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency as the sole agency in charge of his key campaign. – Rappler.com