DAVAO CITY – Police authorities arrested two suspects for allegedly raping and killing a 15-year-old girl in Barangay Lepaga, Mlang, North Cotabato here, a police official said Wednesday.
Municipal police chief Lt. Col Realan Mamon identified the suspects as Rogie Articonas Magallanes, 43 years old, of Barangay Lepaga, and Nilo Belarmente Fortunato, 42, of nearby Barangay Bagontapay, both of Mlang town.
Police did not name the victim, a Grade 9 student, a Maguindanaon Moro, and a resident of Barangay Gaunan that shares borders with Barangays Lepaga and Bagontapay.
Mamon told reporters that based on the initial investigation, the victim went out to gather vegetables some 200 meters away from their residence around 5 p.m. Monday, May 8, and was not able to return home.
“The body of the victim was found by residents of Barangay Lepaga at 2 a.m. on Tuesday,” Mamon said.
Before the discovery of the body of the victim, witnesses said they saw two persons in the vicinity of the crime scene that led to a pursuit operation against the suspects who the same witnesses positively identified.
Mamon said the suspects, now detained at the Mlang police custodial facility, were arrested with the help of the barangay leaders.
Appropriate criminal charges are currently being readied against the suspects.
