Pinoy convicted of raping 3 minors in Sabah

A Malaysian court sentenced earlier this month a 30-year-old Filipino for raping three underage girls in Tawau town in Sabah, reports said.

A report on The Borneo Post identified the Filipino as Ernesto Cabiara, who it said pleaded guilty to the charges before Judge Ummu Kalthom Abd Samad.

The report said Cabiara was sentenced to 47 years in jail and 12 cane strokes. The sentences will be served separately from the date of sentencing.

Cabiara was reportedly arrested on January 16, three days after the victims' grandmother filed a police report regarding what he did to her grandchildren.

The report said the victims' grandmother asked the Filipino to babysit the children after he gained her trust.

All the victims were raped in the same house between February to October 2014, the report said.

The Borneo Post added that Cabiara was earlier sentenced to 36 months in jail time for "outraging the modesty of two other girls who are cousins of the three victims."

In a separate report, Bernama said Cabiara was wearing a Malaysian Scouts t-shirt when arrested.

Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jalaluddin Abd Rahman said Cabiara was allowed to wear the shirt because he was not formally charged at the time.

Before that, Malaysian Scouts deputy chief commissioner Datuk Awang Zaini Suntim condemned Cabiara's wearing of the scout's attire, saying it was disgraceful for the movement. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News