CEBU, Philippines - A taxi driver who went to a police station to get the fare of his woman passenger was arrested for allegedly raping her at a motel in Barangay Carreta, Cebu City Wednesday dawn.
Von Ryan Camacho, 35, a native of Butuan City, was arrested by the police after he was accused of sexually abusing the 20-year-old woman, an on-the-job trainee at a hotel in Lapu-Lapu City.
Camacho, currently staying in Barangay Labangon and who drives for Richelda Taxi, admitted the allegation, saying he was tempted when the woman was drunk and boarded his taxicab.
Camacho said at around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, the woman and her male supervisor boarded his taxicab in Barangay Basak in Lapu-Lapu City and asked him to bring them to a hotel in Cebu City. He said the woman and her supervisor were both drunk at that time.
However, when they arrived at the hotel, the supervisor disembarked from the taxi but the woman refused to go with him.
Camacho said he then advised the supervisor not to force the woman if she does not want to go with him.
The taxi driver said the woman told him to just bring her to the hotel in Lapu-Lapu City where she works as trainee.
However, when they passed by Amihan Motel in Barangay Carreta, Camacho said they stopped and went inside the motel and had a sexual intercourse, claiming the woman did not make any resistance.
When the woman threw up, Camacho decided to check out and went to Carbon Market to buy clothes to replace her dirty blouse.
He said that after she changed her clothes, he even let her drink hot coffee while they were waiting for the taxi to be fully washed in Barangay Labangon.
At around 3 a.m., the woman allegedly asked him to take her to her hotel in Lapu-Lapu City.
When they arrived at the hotel, Camacho said the supervisor was already there and met the woman.
Since the woman does not have money for her fare, the supervisor allegedly gave Camacho his Samsung cellular phone as collateral. They agreed to meet at a police station in Lapu-Lapu City in the morning for the payment.
At around 2 p.m. last Thursday, Camacho went to the police station to get the fare of his passengers.
However, after several minutes, he said he was then handcuffed by the police who told him a rape complaint was being filed against him.
Camacho said he did not expect the woman to complain because he thought they were having an understanding since the woman just went with him on board his taxicab.
Camacho, who was then turned over to Mabolo Police Station, expressed regrets, saying he is willing to talk to the woman and ask for forgiveness.
The taxi driver, a single, said he is even willing to marry her.
“Andam ko manubag sa hitabo. Ulitawo ko, dalaga siya. Sakto na ko sa edad. Kung okay niya magminyo mi’ng duha,” said Camacho.
However, Police Officer 1 Hanna Batulan of the Women and Children’s Protection Desk of Mabolo Police Station said the woman claimed that she was raped by Camacho.
Batulan said the woman admitted she was drunk from a party and that the supervisor only assisted her to get a taxicab.
However, instead of taking her to the hotel where she works as trainee, Batulan said Camacho allegedly took her to the motel in Barangay Carreta and raped her.
The victim was taken to the pink room of the Vicente Sottor Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC) for examination.
Batulan reminded the passengers, especially the women, to be always vigilant when riding a taxi.
“Di man gyud malikayan nga matintal gyud ni sila, so naa gyu’y possibility nga naa’y mahitabo nato. As much as possible, di lang gyud ta mosakay nga kita ra usa labi na og nakainom ta gamay,” said Batulan.
source:
Taxi driver arrested for