Mayor Lim calls for rapist cop's head

MANILA, Philippines – Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim has called for the arrest and dismissal of a policeman who allegedly raped a woman at the Manila Police District headquarters last December 31.

“We have to make this a policy against erring members of the police. We cannot tolerate the ‘bantay-salakay’ [preying] syndrome within the force. The police is supposed to be the protector of the masses, not their abusers,” the mayor said in a statement.

On Tuesday, rape and robbery charges were filed with the city prosecutor’s office against Police Officer 3 Antonio Bautista of the MPD District Intelligence Division.

A female vendor, identified only as “Aniceta,” had complained to the MPD Women’s and Children’s Desk that she was waiting for her common-law husband in Carriedo, Sta. Cruz district, on their way to hear Mass when Bautista and a man wearing a “Press” T-shirt arrested her for vagrancy.

They then took her to the MPD headquarters on UN Avenue where she claimed Bautista confiscated her wallet containing P4,000 in cash, and raped her at the Integrity Task Force office.

Before “Aniceta” was released, Bautista allegedly also threatened to put her in jail unless she coughed up more money before January 3.

Police are now hunting for Bautista, who has gone absent without official leave, MPD director Chief Supt. Roberto Rongavilla said.

Bautista will also face administrative charges of grave misconduct. His gun has already been confiscated from his wife.

“What happened is inadmissible. We cannot close our eyes on these kinds of abuse of authority. Those who are at fault should take responsibility,” said Lim, himself a former policeman for 38 years. (report from Jaymee T. Gamil, Philippine Daily Inquirer)