Police arrest habal-habal driver for allegedly molesting minor

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CEBU CITY, Philippines — A 45-year-old habal-habal (motorcycle-for-hire) driver from Cebu City was arrested after he was accused of molesting a five-year-old child.

Police Staff Sergeant Merlinda Ferrer, Women and Children Protection Center (WCPC) officer of Punta Princesa Police Station, said they arrested Romil Lauron dela Cerna, a resident of Barangay Tisa, Cebu City.

Ferrer said dela Cerna lured the five-year-old daughter of his neighbor and molested the child inside his house on Monday, April 15, 2019.

“The child was on her way to a nearby store. She was asked by her mother to do an errand. On the way to the store, the suspect approached the victim, and gave her two pesos to buy juice. She went back to the suspect who brought her to his house where he reportedly molested the victim,” said Ferrer.

She said the suspect denied the accusations hurled against him.

“He denied the accusations made against him. He claimed that he never lured the child and brought her to his house. His alibi was that he was only staying in his house at that time,” Ferrer added.

The police officer said the victim is now under the care of social workers.

She added the minor will also undergo psychological evaluation since they observed that the latter is displaying signs of trauma.

“The incident was reported to us by a friend of the victim’s brother. The victim told her a friend of her older brother about what happened,” said Ferrer. / celr