3 arrested in 2nd Pampanga gang-rape

Police arrested three of at least five scions of prominent families accused of gang-raping a young woman during a party in Porac town in Pampanga province, a Sun-Star Pampanga (www.sunstar.com.ph) report said Tuesday. The report said that the incident occurred during a birthday party at Sitio San Antonio in Manibaug Paralaya village. Arrested were Glenn Punzalan, 26; Mark Nicol Pineda, 20; and Manny Basilio Venzon, 23. Those at at large were identified as Benjie Baluyut and a certain Fidel. Investigation showed the victim was invited to the birthday party of Baluyut at the office of Punzalan situated in the area on the night of Feb. 1 where the victim was offered beer. She said there were other visitors at the party, most of them acquaintances of the birthday celebrant. After drinking three bottles of beer, the victim felt dizzy and Punzalan took her to a room. The victim said the first sexual assault happened at 10 p.m. Thursday while the second was past 3 a.m. Friday. She told police investigators that she could not resist because she was feeling weak. Also, she said she heard the friends of Punzalan laughing while they were molesting her. She pleaded with the suspects to stop. On Friday morning, the victim said suspect Fidel also molested her. Police said three of the suspects were arrested in their respective houses, while a manhunt has been launched against the two others. This was the second case of gang-rape in Pampanga this month. On Saturday, a freshman nursing student was gang-raped during a robbery attempt at her boardinghouse in the City of San Fernando in Pampanga province. The men, numbering “five to seven," sexually abused the victim while they were ransacking the boardinghouse after midnight Friday. City of San Fernando police director Supt. Audie Atienza said the men raped only the nursing student, but hogtied the other boarders and persons inside the boardinghouse. Police said initial descriptions of the perpetrators indicate they are youngsters “belonging to wealthy families." They were described as 18 to 20 years old. The men took off with cash and other valuables, including cell phones. There were at least 10 lady boarders in the building located along 10th Avenue. Initial investigation showed the boarders were housed at the first floor of the building while the ground floor is an Internet café that operates 24 hours a day. Atienza, citing initial reports, said some young men had been observed staying at the Internet café. - GMANews.TV