Pandi, Bulacan mayor, 2 others nabbed for rape
Pandi, Bulacan Mayor Enrico Roque and two others, including a town councilor, were arrested on Tuesday for two counts of rape that were filed by a 17-year-old girl in 2019.
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said in a statement on Wednesday that Roque was placed under arrest, along with two men it did not identify, at the mayor’s Amana Waterpark resort in Pandi town. They were later placed in the custody of the Northern Police District.
According to the NCRPO, the arrest warrant dated Nov. 11, 2024, was issued by Presiding Judge Ma. Rowena Violaga Alejandria of the Caloocan City Regional Trial Court Branch 121 for two counts of rape, with no bail recommended.
“This operation is a strong reminder that no one is above the law. Our assurance is that NCRPO will pursue justice without fear or favor, ensuring accountability for everyone,” NCRPO chief Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin said.
In an interview, Bulacan police director Col. Satur Ediong said that Roque was arrested, along with Pandi Councilor Jonjon Roxas and driver Roel Raymundo.
Affidavit
The alleged victim accused the three men of raping her on April 6, 2019, at the mayor’s house in Bagong Silang, Caloocan City. She filed her complaint four days later.
In a two-page sworn affidavit, the girl, who said she lived in the same neighborhood, stated that Roque invited her to come over for a few drinks.
She claimed that she became intoxicated and was subsequently raped. She admitted that she accepted Roque’s invitation because she had a crush on him.
Before his detention on Tuesday night, Roque denied the allegations in a text message to the Inquirer, calling them as “baseless and fabricated.”
“It is too obvious that this is politically motivated. The charges are all lies and fabrications. The person does not exist, nor does the address. I do not have a house in Caloocan City, and neither do the other accused,” he said.
Roque and his legal team added that the charges were part of a politically motivated campaign to tarnish his reputation ahead of next year’s elections. He is up for reelection.
Reports gathered by the Inquirer suggested that the case, along with several others reportedly filed by Roque’s political rivals in 2019, was revived after having been archived.
