Each of the eight women pointed an accusing finger at Reil Ceniza who tried to avoid a checkpoint but was later arrested by police. Norman Mendoza
Eight of the 12 victims of molestation and sexual harassment showed up and identified their alleged assailant at the Canduman Police Precinct in Mandaue City after learning of his arrest yesterday morning.
The 37-year-old suspect was identified as Reil Ceniza, a resident of Zone 4, Barangay Mantuyong in Mandaue City.
The victims all said Ceniza wore shorts, shoes and carried a handgun.
Senior Insp. Reymundo Enriquez, Canduman Police Precinct chief, said the first recorded case of rape and sexual harassment was reported in November last year and had been followed with similar cases nearly every month.
The latest incident occurred last Sunday, October 15, and involved a 20-year-old call center agent.
“It may have happened in other areas,” Enriquez said.
The 20-year-old victim recounted that she was walking along a dimly lit road at past 1 a.m. at Sitio Riverside, Canduman, when the suspect passed by in a motorcycle and made a U-turn towards her.
She said the suspect offered her a ride, and when she refused, he pulled out a handgun and poked it at her head, warning her not to shout lest he shoot her.
She said the suspect allegedly told her to fondle him.
“Gitiman-an lang gyud nako ang iyang barug, ang mata, iyang gisul-ob ug ang iyang motor (I just took note of his appearance, his eyes, his outfit and his motorcycle),” the victim said.
The seven other female victims had the same experience, and some of them said they had been going home early since.
Some of them asked a family member to drive them to the office and back home.
Enriquez said he ordered checkpoints at Canduman and eventually caught up with Ceniza whom police tried to flag down at Don Sergio Suico Street at past 1 a.m. yesterday. Instead of stopping, Enriquez said Ceniza sped away and flashed a dirty finger at them.
Police immediately radioed a team several meters away and Ceniza was arrested after a brief chase with the help of some bystanders.
Police saw that his motorcycle plate was covered with two other fictitious plate numbers.
Recovered from his possession were one loaded revolver, one plastic pack containing shabu and one ice pick.
Enriquez said they called up every victim, and eight of them showed up to positively identify Ceniza who denied victimizing them.
Ceniza, a criminology graduate working for a food company in Mandaue City, denied owning the shabu but admitted to avoiding the checkpoint.
He claimed that he found the gun at the road the night before.
Both Mayor Luigi Quisumbing and Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna went to the Canduman Police Precinct to congratulate the police.
Ceniza is detained at the Canduman Police Precinct pending the filing of charges against him.