Frat man ‘robs, rapes’ visitor

Frat man ‘robs, rapes’ visitor
By Mia E. Abellana
Sun.Star Staff Reporter

A young woman in town for the Sinulog festivities was allegedly raped inside her hotel room and then robbed of her belongings at dawn yesterday.

Cherry (real name withheld), 21, identified 18-year-old Giovany Racho, a member of the Alpha Kappa Rho (Akrho) fraternity, as her attacker.

The assault prompted police to call on pension houses and hotels to make sure all their guests are safe, with thousands of tourists in town for the weekend’s Sinulog festivities.

Isolated case

But Cebu City Vice Mayor Michael Rama, in a dyLA interview right after the crime was reported, said it was an isolated attack.

Cherry told investigators that she was inside room 205 of Best Inn along P. Lopez and Balintawak Sts. in Cebu City when she heard a sound from the front door.

When she stepped out of the shower to check who was at the door, Racho allegedly forced his way inside and then raped her.

After, Racho allegedly hit her on the head with a beer bottle and then threatened to stab her with the broken glass.

Cherry fought back and deeply cut Racho’s left forefinger.

To keep her from hurting him further, Racho tied her hands with a telephone cord and then took her Nokia 3310, gold bracelet and P90.

Before leaving, Racho reportedly apologized for taking her things, saying he needed the money because his mother is in the hospital.

After further investigation, operatives of the Theft and Robbery Section (TRS) grilled Jerson Japson, 26, who was occupying the next room.

Though he was hesitant at first, Japson later revealed that he was with Racho.

Police arrested Racho around 10 a.m. in his house in Sitio Sta. Ana, Barangay Tisa.

Racho admitted that he took her things but said he did not rape her.

A member of Akrho, Racho said he was drunk and merely driven to rob her.

Cherry, though, vowed to stay in Cebu to make sure he was jailed. She hails from Cagayan de Oro City.

“Gusto jud ko nga mapriso siya. Kanang bitay? Sobra pa ana ang angay niya (I want to see him behind bars. He deserves more than a hanging),” she told reporters.

Representatives of the inn were not available for comment. Manager Winnie del Mar was reportedly still in a meeting when Sun.Star called.

Charges

TRS Chief Ambrosio Ibones said they plan to file a rape case and a separate robbery with physical injuries complaint against Racho.

He said it was up to the fiscal to upgrade the complaint to robbery with frustrated homicide.

Cherry said she got even angrier when she heard Racho tell reporters that he was drunk when he apologized to her and told her that his mother was sick, that’s why he robbed her.

The stolen items were recovered in Racho’s house, but he already used P40 of her money to buy food.

Cherry sustained cuts on her neck and left side of the body, as well as bruises on her forehead.

Assurance

Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau Chief Pablo Labra II assured Sinulog tourists that the incident was an isolated case.

He appealed though to owners of pension houses, inns, motels and hotels to beef up their security to prevent similar incidents from happening.

Cherry arrived in Cebu last Jan. 5 and stayed with her friend in Barangay Pasil during the day.

A college student at the Cagayan de Oro College, Cherry said she stopped school this semester and has been visiting Cebu regularly.

She claimed she was familiar with Cebu because she used to have a live-in partner here.

When sought for comment, Akrho Visayas president Richard Buscaino said Racho’s deeds automatically expelled him from the fraternity.

He said he still needed to determine if Racho belongs to the Tisa chapter

source: sunstar