A woman has filed a complaint before the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) against a police officer from the Manila Police District (MPD) who allegedly raped her.
At a press conference on Tuesday, NAPOLCOM Vice Chairperson and Executive Officer Rafael Vicente Calinisan said the cop may be held liable for grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer.
“Yung isang pulis natin na-involve sa panggagahasa, which is terrible. So, aalamin natin. We will get to the bottom of it. Hindi natin papayagan na isang pulis natin ay manggagahasa,” Calinisan said.
(Our police officer was involved in alleged rape, which is terrible. So, we will find out. We will get to the bottom of it. We will not allow our police officer to rape.)
“This is a grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer. At ang parusa dito ay maaaring suspension, demotion, o di kaya dismissal from the police service,” he added.
(This is a grave misconduct and conduct unbecoming of a police officer. And the punishment here may be suspension, demotion, or even dismissal from the police service.)
The victim identified as “Anna” said the cop allegedly sexually assaulted her after she lost consciousness during a night out in Quezon City.
“Anna” recounted that she agreed to go out with Joshua Semilla Mendoza to help her reconcile with her husband.
She said they went to several establishments along Tomas Morato Avenue accompanied by other individuals, including one other police officer, a barangay official, and another woman.
According to “Anna,” after consuming her last drink, she suddenly lost consciousness. She expressed suspicion that her drink may have been spiked.
She later woke up inside a motel while being sexually assaulted by the cop. She regained consciousness causing the police officer to stop.
GMA News Online has reached out to the MPD for the side of Mendoza. The MPD has yet to provide a statement as of posting time.
According to Calinisan, the implicated cop has gone AWOL or absent without official leave.
Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) President Boy Evangelista said the organization took up the case after assessing the evidence, including CCTV footage, which he said strongly supports Anna’s claims.
“This is a VACC-assisted case at hanggang dulo po. Tutulungan namin ito hanggang sa paghanap ng hard pieces of evidence for the case build-up for a reasonable certainty of conviction up to jail term.
(This is a VACC-assisted case and until the end. We will help until we find hard pieces of evidence for the case build-up for a reasonable certainty of conviction up to jail term.)
“Ang VACC po magbabantay, magbibigay ng volunteer lawyer with our partners. Magtutulungan po kami para makakuha finally ng hustisya to send a very strong message sa mga members ng kapulisan na yung certainty of conviction, arrest, conviction, at dismissal, may paglalagyan kayo,” he added.
(The VACC will provide a volunteer lawyer with our partners. We will help you finally get justice to send a very strong message to members of the police force that with the certainty of conviction, arrest, conviction, and dismissal, they will be held accountable.) — BAP, GMA Integrated News
