ILOILO City – Following the alleged rape on the sixth floor of the provincial capitol, security protocols of the edifice would be reviewed, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Sr.
A 45-year-old masseuse claimed that a capitol security guard raped her at the office of Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) member Nielo Tupas on May 25.
The allegation would also be probed, added Defensor.
The suspect was Provincial Guard II Roen Ledesma.
Defensor said he had received a letter from the complainant asking for an investigation and he forwarded this to the Provincial Legal Office.
Regarding capitol security protocols, Defensor said the probe should determine how effective these remain to be.
“Asta nagabantay sa adlaw, tanan sila imbestigaron kon ngaa nakasulod ang babaye,” said Defensor.
The capitol has over 70 provincial guards but some are posted at the Iloilo Sports Complex and district hospitals.
The General Services Office (GSO) has started its own probe. Aaron Raymundo, the officer-in-charge, issued a memorandum giving Ledesma 72 hours beginning June 3 to explain why the latter should not be handed down disciplinary action.
But the GSO was focusing on two issues only: the use of a capitol office key without permission and allowing an unauthorized person inside the capitol.
Raymundo said the use of the key to Tupas’ office was not logged in the logbook and neither was the information desk informed about it.
Also, according to the GSO head, Ledesma took a sick leave from Jan. 1 to March 31 and sought for an extension so it is a big question why the security guard managed to return to work./PN
