Rape cases up in Cordillera; youth among top offenders

BAGUIO CITY – Rape cases have risen in the Cordillera with many youth involved alarming the Regional Peace and Order Council.

Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan, who chaired the recent joint RPOC and Regional Development Council meeting at The Mansion, said it is important for government and private sector implement programs to address this by instilling good values among the youth.

He said this is a sign parents are not doing their job as first teachers of children that is why appropriate interventions must be set in place.

 Based on the report of the Police Regional Office in the Cordillera, rape cases registered the highest number of cases among index crimes with Ifugao having the highest number of rape cases at 20 from January to May this year.

Mountain Province recorded nine rape cases while other provinces recorded high rape incidents during same period.

Janet Armas, regional Welfare director Cordillera said workers of the agency have been instructed to work double time in catering to needs of rape victims and families of those involved in rape incidents.

 Armas said based on the agency's data, rape cases were mostly committed by younger suspects and committed against younger victims who are residents of the communities where they live.

The DSWD-CAR official proposed to local chief executives to reactivate their gender equality and development councils and designate focal persons to provide measures that will protect the children from criminal motives of their neighbors and family members.

Armas said the agency is constantly stepping up their drive in the information campaign on the implementation of the Republic Act 9262 of the Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act of 2004.

“However this is not enough as all other government sectors, especially the PNP (Philippine National Police) must also be aware of the rising cases of rape since most of the victims are young and so are the perpetrators,” Armas explained.

Armas added, “It is alarming since young female victims are purportedly raped by minor perpetrators and it is still a crime committed against our women and children, and what concerns me most is that girls as young as 11 years old are already victims.”

In the Joint RPOC-RDC (Regional Development Council) Meeting, Police Regional Office (PROCOR) Operations and Plans Division Chief Police Senior Superintendent Homer Penecilla reported that rape is among the eight focus crimes in the region.