Man to be tried over sex with his minor girlfriend

DESPITE VICTIM’S CONSENT

A 26-year-old man in Cebu City is facing a child abuse case for allegedly having sex with his minor girlfriend, who eventually acquired a sexually transmitted disease.

The Office of the Cebu City Prosecutor found sufficient evidence to have the man face trial for violating Section 5, paragraph B, of Republic Act 7610 (Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act.)

The law punishes with an imprisonment of up to 40 years any person having sexual intercourse or lascivious conduct with a child exploited in prostitution or subject to other sexual abuse.

The FREEMAN is withholding the names of the 15-yearold victim and the accused pursuant to the confidentiality provision of the law.

The case stemmed from the complaint filed by the victim who alleged that sometime in June 2015, the accused, who was her “textmate” who eventually became her boyfriend, visited and invited her to come with him in his rented room.

She said she initially refused as she was afraid of her brother and that she was not yet familiar with his boyfriend’s place. She, however, yielded due to her boyfriend’s insistence and promise not to leave her whatever happens.

After arriving at his rented house, the accused then proceeding in making sexual advances to the minor, who admitted they ended up having sex that time and that similar incidents followed after that.

According to the complaint, the minor and the man, who works in a barber shop, checked in a lodge in downtown Cebu on September 1, 2015.

Four days after, the minor complained of severe stomachache. She said she was alarmed after she had whitish discharges with blood in them.

Because of fear, she confessed to her brother about what really happened and he had checked by a doctor, who confirmed that she had acquired a sexually transmitted disease.

In its resolution, the prosecutor’s office said sexual intercourse with a minor, even with consent, is already a violation of RA 7610.

“Consent is not a defense in this special law. Respondent (boyfriend) cannot escape responsibility because he took advantage of complainant’s minority to have sexual liaisons with him,” read part of the resolution.

Vencynth H. Braga/RHM