By RALPH JOHN MIJARES
PRESIDENT ROXAS, Capiz — An 18-year-old woman has been raped and stoned to death in Sitio Yuko, Brgy. Goce here, police said.
The body of Maricel Telesforo of the said barangay was found in a rocky area at the Argon River, also in Brgy. Goce, on Sunday morning.
Four suspects have been arrested: the victim’s second cousin Gaspar Dinaluan Jr., 19, of Brgy. Lutod-Lutod; and Jay Mark Deseo, 23; Joemarie Ecamina, 18; and Agosto Gacer, 18, all of Brgy. Cubay.
Police rounded up the suspects on Sunday evening, but three of them — except for Dinaluan — were released yesterday.
Dinaluan admitted to having a hand on the crime but revealed that Deseo, Ecamina and Gacer were not involved, PO3 Rez Bernardez told Panay News.
He revealed to the police that he was with three other suspects. Police are currently verifying the new suspects’ identities.
Dinaluan only pointed to Deseo, Ecamina and Gacer as his cohorts for fear that the real suspects would get back at his family, Bernardez said.
Bernardez said Dinaluan, Deseo, Ecamina and Gacer knew each other but were not close.
Half-naked and bloodied, the body of Telesforo was discovered by Goce Barangay Captain Ricardo Base.
Bernardez told Panay News that the victim’s legs were spread, her upper garment partly removed and her bra pulled down.
She also had injuries in the head, most likely caused by stoning.
Three bloodstained stones were found at the crime scene. A grey jacket, possibly owned by one of the suspects, was found a hundred meters away.
Traces of sperm from three or four people were found in the victim’s genitalia, investigation of the Roxas City’s Scene of the Crime Operatives showed.
Dinaluan confessed that the rape and stoning happened at about 2 a.m. on Sunday.
Prior to that, on Saturday evening, Telesforo met the suspects at the public plaza in Brgy. Goce where a benefit dance in line with the barangay fiesta was being held, Bernardez said.
The crime scene was about 500 meters away from the public plaza.
Dinaluan said he regrets what he did. “Grabe. Indi na ko matulugan (It was terrible. I can’t sleep well now),” he said, adding that he wants justice for his second cousin.
Dinaluan said he was a little drunk at the time. While he admitted to raping Telesforo, he denied stoning her to death.
He said his three other companions raped and stoned the victim, but he could not stop them because he was threatened by them.
Bernardez said the suspects are facing rape with homicide charges./PN
