Three minors report sexual assault by alleged cult leader, witch doctor

At least three minors aged 10, 12, and 14 said they were sexually assaulted by a supposed cult leader in Quezon City.

Identified as a certain Romeo Delos Reyes, the suspect works as a janitor and a leader of a religious group. He also allegedly practices as a witch doctor.

The children said Delos Reyes assaulted them and touched them in sensitive areas to supposedly continue the healing that was done on them.

"Base dito sa isang nanay, 'yung kanyang anak ay biktima ng panggagahasa kasama 'yung dalawang bata. Biktima ng panggagahasa ng isang suspect na sinasabi nilang leader ng kulto," Police Liutenant Colonel Elizabeth Jasmin said in a report on GMA's "24 Oras Weekend."

(Based on one of the mothers, her daughter is a victim of rape, along with the two other children. Victims of rape of a suspect which they claim to be a cult leader.)

Jasmin said the children were said to have been hypnotized and would tolerate Delos Reyes's touches as this was part of the supposed blessings.

Currently detained, Delos Reyes denied sexually assaulting the children but was reported to have admitted touching the chest of one of them.

"Kasi minsan may puyatan kami magdasal, so 'dun na kami natutulog. May mga kasama kami so pano masasabing inaano sila kung meron akong mga kasama," he said.

(Sometimes we have all-nighters praying, so we sleep there. We have companions so how could they accuse me when I have companions.)

"Ang totoo niyan ay ang batang 'yan ang pumupunta sa akin kada umaga, madaling araw," he said in the same report.

(The truth is that child comes to me every morning, early morning.)

Delos Reyes will face charges of rape in relation to child abuse, and illegal possession of ammunition after bullets were found in his home, which he also denied.

The religious group has since been disbanded by the Barangay Damayang Lagi. — Jon Viktor Cabuenas/DVM, GMA News