Girl in viral video claims she was raped; 4 male students charged

CEBU CITY, Philippines—The girl who was filmed being molested by a group of male students in a viral video claimed she was raped.

Police Colonel Gemma Vinluan, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director, told members of the media on Monday afternoon, September 23, 2019, that the 16-year-old girl confessed that she was brought to a lodging house in Cebu City on the night the video was taken and was allegedly raped by one of the male students in the video.

Read: CIDG-7 to investigate viral video of male university students ‘molesting’ a female friend

Vinluan said the victim had already been subjected to medical test and trauma assessment and that they already filed the charges against the four suspects on Monday afternoon.

“Identified na naman namin atsaka meron na kaming appropriate action na ginagawa,” she said.

(We have identified the individuals involved and have taken appropriate actions.)

The male students will be facing charges of Acts of lasciviousness in the revised penal code, anti-voyeurism act, and rape.

Vinluan no longer divulged further details as to what other actions they have taken following the filing of the charges.

Because the suspects are still considered minors, they will be handled by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), where they will undergo assessment and discernment process.

Among the four boys, Vinluan said one was voluntarily presented by his parents to the police.

He executed an extrajudicial confession with his own chosen counsel and with the DSWD. /bmjo