After 11 years in hiding, a man accused of raping his 14-year-old step daughter in Bukidnon was arrested in Talibon town on Wednesday afternoon.
Senior Master Sgt. Luigi Gabisan of the Talibon Police Station said operatives of their Special Operations Group collared suspect Gregorio Aluestia, 40, who is a boatman, as he docked his pumpboat at the port in Barangay Poblacion.
According to Gabisan, they were informed of Aluestia’s whereabouts through intelligence reports gathered from the town’s villages including Barangay Busalian where the suspect has been residing.
“Kini iyang warrant naabot diri pero kani atong intelligence naa may mga contact aning mga barangay unya ila na pud ning gi disseminate didto sa mga barangay officials, mao nihabaw-an na tua ni didto,” said Gabisan.
Aluestia has a standing arrest warrant for rape which was issued by Judge Pelagio Estopia of the Regional Trial Court Branch 8 in Malaybalay, Bukidnon on January 12, 2010.
Gabisan said that Aluestia has been accused of raping the daughter of his then-live-in partner when the victim was still 14 years old in 2010.
After the incident, Aluestia fled to Talibon with his live-in partner, who is now his wife.
According to Gabisan, the filing of the complaint was backed by the victim’s grandparents.
The victim’s mother meanwhile denied that her daughter was raped claiming that the medical findings did not detect indications of rape.
“Matud niya negative kuno ang medical pero ingon ko na ‘kung negative pa ngano na pursue man ning kaso’ wa pa mi katawag sa Bukidnon og unsang hitaboa to,” said Gabisan.
“Mura’g inclined man ni siya na mura’g mo laban sa [iyang bana] kay sa kadugayon siguro sa panahon na pud,” he added.
Aluestia remained detained at the Talibon Police Station as authorities arranged his transfer to Bukidnon.