DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/23 December) — Authorities arrested on Tuesday a teenage scion of the Mangudadatu clan for the alleged rape of a nursing student inside a dormitory in this city in July last year.
Datu Naga Mitra Mangudadatu of Tamnag, Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat was nabbed at the Vincent de Paul Dormitel in Padre Paura Street, the same dormitory where the alleged rape took place.
He was arrested based on the warrant of arrest issued by Regional Trial Court Branch 16 Judge Emmanuel Carpio on Feb. 28, 2011.
Naga is said to be a son of former Sultan Kudarat governor and representative Pax Mangudadatu.
PO3 Martin Silongan, officer of the Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU) in Catitipan, said the suspect is now detained at the Sta. Ana Police precinct.
Rape is a non-bailable offense.
However, his cousin and fellow suspect, known only as alias Puti, was still at large.
Divinagracia Barcelona, staff of the RTC Branch 16 told MindaNews that the suspect was already endorsed to the court and the trial will begin on Jan. 9 next year.
The suspects’ bodyguards namely Erven P. Otadoy, Ryan March C. Tadio, an alias Ramba and another unidentified person were excluded from the case for insufficient evidence.
“Victoria” said in her affidavit that on July 31, she and two helpers were drinking beer until 11 p.m. in the dormitory’s canteen.
Afterwards, she told the helpers to clean the table so she could go to sleep but Ramba allegedly approached them and told her to join the suspect for a drink inside his rented apartment.
She said that after drinking a few glasses she asked permission to leave but was prevented by the bodyguards from going out.
“Naga ordered his four bodyguards to leave the room … then he turned off the light over my protest … then I saw one of his bodyguards outside from the glass wall roll down the aluminum-steel blind, after which, Naga immediately and forcefully dragged me to his bed,” and succeeded in raping her, Victoria narrated in her affidavit.
Afterwards, the suspect’s cousin allegedly proceeded to rape her.
“My said companions, seeing me trembling and crying, accompanied me to my room where I confided to them about the incident,” Victoria further said in her affidavit.
On Aug. 2, she informed the owner of the place and later her father who is based in Oman.
She also reported to the police and submitted herself to a medical examination the next day. (MindaNews)