The parents of the 13 year-old girl who was allegedly molested by a lawyer-broadcaster, told reporters yesterday that their daughter has been missing since Friday, July 21. A complaint for rape was filed yesterday before the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office against the lawyer.
CDN PHOTO/MOREXETTE ERRAM
The National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas (NBI-7) on Wednesday filed a complaint for rape against the Cebu lawyer-broadcaster who was accused of sexually molesting a 13-year-old girl.
The complaint comes two weeks after the victim’s parents sought the help of the bureau in investigating the case.
The accused, lawyer Juril Patiño, vehemently denied the allegations.
“I have not read the complaint yet. But for now, let it be known that I never did that,” he told Cebu Daily News.
“Ngano ako man binuangan ang akong pagkatawo nga dugay nakong gipaningkamotan nga makab-ot? Muna-muna man gani nakos paningkamot aron mahimong abogado bisan sa akong kalisud, unya ako lang dauton ang akong dungog? (Why should I besmirch my reputation which I struggled to build and achieve? I worked very hard to become a lawyer amid poverty. Will I just ruin my reputation?),” Patiño added.
The 32-year-old Patiño, a program anchor and commentator at Brigada News FM, said he will answer all the accusations “point by point” in due time.
He will undergo preliminary investigation by the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office and given a chance to submit a counter-affidavit to refute the allegations hurled against him.
The accused lawyer-broadcaster, who passed the 2014 Bar exams, expressed hope that the truth would prevail.
“You know what, it is so easy to accuse a person of a wrongdoing. Proving it is a different thing. And once proven that you are innocent, your reputation and dignity have already been damaged,” he said as his voice cracked.
The 13-year-old girl complained that she was sexually molested by Patiño inside the latter’s car in Barangay Parian, Cebu City last July 4.
The girl’s family first sought the help of the Parian Police Station, but they felt that the authorities were reluctant to file a case against Patiño, prompting them to ask assistance from the NBI.
Missing
The girl, however, has been missing since Friday, July 21. Her mother, who was about to be interviewed by a physician at the Pink Room of the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) left her at the lobby.
The mother said that when she returned to the lobby after her interview in the pink room, her daughter was no longer there.
At that time, the girl was under the custody of NBI – 7.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña initially offered a P20,000 reward last Tuesday morning for anyone who could provide information on the teen’s whereabouts, but his executive assistant Francisco Fernandez confirmed that the mayor raised it to P100,000 yesterday afternoon.
Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director, Senior Supt. Joel Doria promised support and help in expediting the case filed by the NBI.
He said he instructed his policemen to search for the girl, as it would be difficult to resolve the case without the girl’s statement. He also said they are planning to backtrack the victim’s friends and relatives for additional details.
Earlier, the mother claimed that an unidentified person went to their residence, and tried to negotiate with them not to pursue the filing of a rape case against the lawyer.
“Dile madala sa sabot-sabot kay di na nila mabalik ang gibuhat nila sa akong anak. Wala
Wala gyud siya makig-istorya namo kay gusto niya sa mall (We will not settle because they cannot undo what they did to my daughter. He did not want to talk with us because he wanted to talk with us inside a mall),” she said.