S. Leyte gov accused of rape
Complaints of rape and attempted rape have been filed against the Governor Christopher “Coco” Yap of Southern Leyte by a 17year old at the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Maasin City on Monday (February 19).
Yap, single and in his 30s, is a businessman from Sogod town who was elected vice-governor, but was installed as governor in August last year when the Ombudsman dismissed Governor Damian Mercado for alleged graft.
The girl complainant is being supported by the Crusade against Violence Visayas (CAVV), led by Thelma Chiong, who lost her two daughters to kidnapping and rape, and has made it her lifetime advocacy to help rape victims of powerful people. Only one of her daughters’ bodies was found.
Chiong accompanied the girl and her parents in the filing of the complaint before provincial prosecutor Efren Mendoza.
In her complaint, the girl claims that she was raped by Yap the first time they got acquainted in November 2016, when Yap was still vice-governor. She said that, together with a friend, she was invited to a drinking spree with Yap by his driver/ assistant Romeo Gonzales. An hour later, she was invited by Yap to get inside his car to talk.
Inside, she said, Yap started groping and fondling her against her will. “I could not shout and be heard because the music was loud and the Montero doors were locked. I was also afraid of him because he was the vice governor of the province of Southern Leyte back then.”
In her affidavit, the girl narrated that Yap consummated raping her a few minutes later, when she went top on him. “He then told me, “ali diri, ali diri patong nako (come here, come here, come on top of me). My heart was trembling too fast that I felt his compulsion and intimidation that I mounted on top of him,” she said.
After that, she returned to the group and went home after Yap said they would. That was the first incident. The second happened after two weeks when Yap’s assistant texted her, saying they would have another drinking spree. Again, together with her friend and a male cousin this time, they were bought to the vice-governor’s gasoline station where they had another drinking session.
When she went to the comfort room, the vice-governor reportedly followed her there and blocked her way as she was going out. He started mashing her breasts and pulled down her shorts, and she screamed “di lagi ko!” (I don’t want to do it!). Her male cousin heard the commotion and started asking what happened. “Upon hearing (the cousin’s) voice, Coco Yap allowed me to get out of the CR.”
By December 2017, she added, her mother noticed her “lonely, alone, and seemingly bothered.” It was then that she told them about the alleged incidents. She said that it was only now that she was filing the complaint because “Gov. Yap is rich and powerful,” and that “I was subjected to humiliation.”
Meanwhile, Yap’s camp said they would fight the case and do everything to clear the governor’s name, saying these were trumped up charges. The governor himself has yet to issue his statement on the issue.
However, Amalia Yap, the governor’s mother said, “gagawin namin lahat na malinis ang pangalan ni Coco dahil hindi nga tumatanggap ng SOP,” and now they are being accused of raping a minor.