Woman Who Accused 11 Cops Of Robbery, Rape Shot Dead

KEY POINTS

A woman in Cebu City, Philippines, was shot and killed by unknown assailants Monday
She accused 11 police officers in the city of robbing and raping her last month
Her alleged rapist was found dead in an apparent suicide four hours after her killing

A 35-year-old woman from the Philippines who accused multiple policemen in Cebu City of robbing and raping her last month was gunned down Monday, local authorities said.

Ritchie Nepomuceno was shot repeatedly and killed by unknown assailants in Natalio Bacalso Avenue, said Maj. Alejandro Batobalonos, chief of the police’s Integrity Monitoring and Enhancement Group (IMEG) Visayas field unit, Rappler reported.

Four hours later, the officer she accused of raping her last month shot himself dead inside the toilet room of a police facility in Cebu City, local newspaper Sun Star reported. Staff Sgt. Celso Colita was part of the group of 11 policemen Nepomuceno accused of illegally raiding her house and stealing valuables, including jewelry, on March 9.

Nepomuceno also accused the group of extorting her of 170,000 pesos ($3,500) and of illegally arresting her and torturing her inside a secret room at the city's Sawang Calero police station, where all the officers were stationed.

Two other victims reported being tortured inside the secret room, but the Commission on Human Rights in Central Visayas said it was unable to find the location of the room when the station was inspected on April 6, as per Rappler.

Prior to his apparent suicide, Colita was being interviewed by authorities regarding Nepomuceno's death and his involvement in drugs, Sunstar reported, citing Help TV Cebu. Colita reportedly did not provide any answers when asked if he had a hand in Nepomuceno's death and when told police had information on his involvement with illegal drugs.

The other policemen were identified as Chief MSgt. Eric Edgar Ernia; Staff Sergeants Joseph Alcoseba and Michael Rhey Cabizares; Corporals Emmanuel Martinez, Rochelito Mabulay, Ejill Ferrolino, Carlo Irizari, Junel Pedroza, John Carl Aceron and Georny Abrasado, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reported. They were relieved from their posts following the accusations.

The officers were charged with robbery, arbitrary detention, grave coercion and grave threats at the Cebu provincial prosecutor's office.

Sawang Calero police station's chief, Maj. Eduard Sanchez, was not charged, but he was relieved from his post for command responsibility.