ALL 13 municipal mayors in Benguet province have been asked to take drastic measures in a bid to lower incidents of rape in the province.
Rape cases increased to 25 in the first four months of 2018 compared to 19 incidents in the first three months of 2017, Benguet Police reported.
Governor Crescencio Pacalso urged all mayors in the 13 municipalities to start revisiting ordinances, particularly those banning obscene materials.
"Perhaps the schools can reprimand students who have pornographic materials in their cellphones. Let us look back on our ordinance. This is an alarming situation and we try to find ways on how to lessen these occurrences," he added.
Pacalso mentioned there are laws prohibiting the sale of obscene materials, however, schools should put emphasis in prohibiting the entry of this materials.
Benguet Provincial Police Office chief investigator Radino Belly said a total of 25 rape incidents were recorded from January to April this year.
La Trinidad reported the highest number at 11 while Tuba had six and Itogon, two. Bakun, Buguias, Kabayan, Kibungan, Mankayan and Tublay recorded one case each.
Juana Banawe, Provincial Social Welfare and Development officer, said that technology and the availability of obscene materials are some of the reasons why rape occur in the province.
Banawe said the perpetrators include neighbors, peers or schoolmates, stranger, partners, in-laws and strangers.
Reports also reveal some minors are involved in committing rape.
"We have a proposal to work with municipalities, different line agencies specially with the Department of Education to discuss the ill effects of pornographic materials," Banawe said.
Provincial Deputy Prosecutor Andres Gondayao said rape cases are oftenly private offense, therefore, it cannot be prosecuted without the active participation of the complainant but by a reason of a new law it is now a public offense.
The Provincial Prosecutor Office have been filing several rape cases but it only leads to settlement.
"What we will do if they do not like to testify? Can we force them? We cannot, because we will be charge for coercion. Although we can avail of the coercive power of the court to have that witness arrested but certainly are they going to tell the truth," said Gondayao adding some rape cases are dismissed especially when perpetrators are minors.
Gondayao emphasized there are some personal reasons by the complainant in not testifying and not pursue the criminal aspect.
Moreover, the actual problem being carried by the victim on the rape cases is the agony to testify from the police, social worker, fiscal and to the court.
