Moalboal tourist guide accused of raping minor arrested

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – A tourist guide accused of raping a minor was arrested by authorities in Sitio Tap-anan, Barangay Basdiot in the town of Moalboal town, southern Cebu on Tuesday afternoon, August 18, 2021.

Police Lieutenant Zosimo Ravanes Jr., team leader of the Anti-Kidnapping Group Visayas Field Unit (AKG-VFU), said the suspect, identified as 18-year-old Zando ‘Jepoy’ Doremon, was served a warrant of arrest for allegedly raping a minor in 2019.

The arrest came six days after Hon. Anabelle Morana Robles, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 96 in the town of Barili, Cebu, issued a warrant dated August 12, 2021, with no bail recommended.

The warrant of arrest stemmed from a complaint filed by the minor before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor against Doremon on March 31, 2021. Ravanes said it took more than a year and a half for for the victim to report the incident to the police authorities on November 2020, as the crime was allegedly committed on April 20, 2019. However, the provincial prosecutor stated that ‘it is not rare for young girls to hide sometime the violation of their honor because of the threats on their lives,’ as they recommended the filing of Information before the RTC. “There is no standard behavior expected of rape victims. Depending on the circumstances and their personal and emotional situation, victims react differently. Thus, the almost 19th month period of non-disclosure to the proper authorities is not much of an issue,” read part of the resolution. Doremon was issued with a subpoena sometime in April this year, for him to file his counter-affidavit. But he did not file any or heed the subpoena, of which the prosecutor made the instant complaint resolved solely on the basis of the evidence submitted by the minor. RELATED STORY: Cebu police goes after man accused of leaking lewd photos, videos /bmjo

TAGS: Moalboal, rape