13-year-old believed to have been sexually assaulted found dead in South Cotabato

A 13-year-old girl who was believed to have been sexually assaulted was found dead by police at a pineapple plantation in Barangay Cannery in Polomolok, South Cotabato.

According to Jaimie Santos’ Saturday report on “24 Oras Weekend,” the victim, identified as Althea Arcamo, went missing on Monday after she went out to sell fruit.

Her body was found on Thursday along with the fruits she was selling.

“’Yung area kasi medyo tahimik. Wala kang makita kundi puro pinya na lang. Nandoon din ‘yung mga dala-dala ng bata like ‘yung tinda niyang mga langka,” Polomok deputy station commander Police Major Randy Apostol said.

(The area is quiet. You can’t see anything but pineapples. We also found the things she was carrying.)

“’Yung lower garments niya ay nakababa po. There is a possibility na baka nagalaw ‘yung bata,” he added.

(Her lower garments were pulled down. There is a possibility that she was assaulted.)

Arcamo was about to finish elementary school.

Her mother said she sold fruit to help the family and to save up money because she dreamed of becoming a doctor.

“Umiwas-iwas ka sa malalaking tao. Sabi ko, ‘wag ka tatanggap ng kahit anong ibibigay sa iyo. Uwi ka agad,” Susan Arcamo, the mother, said.

(I told her to avoid menacing people. I told her to refrain from accepting anything from strangers. To go home immediately)

In the follow-up investigation, authorities arrested a person of interest, identified as Eduardo Abordo, during a buy-bust operation.

Abordo pointed to Ronald Pacquiao Abaqita as the suspect who killed and raped the victim.

After being caught, police brought Abaqita to the hospital for a medical examination.

On their way to the police station, however, police said Abaqita attempted to seize a police officer's gun. Another police officer shot and killed him.

Police said there is a witness who testified that the suspects were with the victim before she died. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News