After party, a rape accusation

SHIRLEY found herself naked with three unfamiliar men, one of whom is a college student and basketball player, in a strange room last Monday dawn.

Drunk from an overnight party in a Mango Square club since Sunday night, the 21-year-old said she could no longer remember how she reached the place.

Then two men held both of her arms while another man allegedly forced himself on her.

She later told police she was gangraped in a boarding house on V. Urgello St., Barangay Sambag 2, Cebu City.

The boarding house’s caretaker, 48-yearold Peter Bendanillo, denied he was one of the men who allegedly raped her.

Fuente police, however, detained him after Shirley (not her real name) identified him as one of the rapists.

“Mora siya’g nawala sa iyang buot bisag kinsa na lang iyang pangtudloon (She seemed out of her mind and made random accusations),” Bendanillo said in front of Fuente Police Chief David Señor.

He said the room was rented by Mark Anthony Dumpe, who reportedly studied in a university near the boarding house, and his roommate Julius.

Dumpe has yet to be found since the incident, according to Señor.

Initial investigation disclosed that Shirley, her cousin and some friends partied inside Club Holic, which is located on the second floor of Mango Square Mall in Cebu City, since 10 p.m. last Sunday.

Shirley eventually excused herself from the group to go to the restroom. She did not return.

Shirley said a man punched her in the stomach as she was about to leave the restroom. The next thing she remembers is waking up naked in an unfamiliar place and getting raped.

A medical certificate released yesterday showed indications that she was indeed raped, Señor said.

What remains a puzzle to the police is the identity of the rapists and if Bendanillo, the man they arrested, is really involved in the crime.

Bendanillo said he was sleeping in his bedroom when he heard a noise from a different room.

He claimed that the people staying in the room beside Dumpe’s asked for help from him as they were disturbed by the loud voices of a woman and a man arguing inside.

He said the man’s voice sounded like Dumpe’s.

When he opened the door, Bendanillo said only the naked woman was there, hysterical and crying.

“Pagduol nako, ingon ko sa mga boarders nga di man na taga diri, wa man ta kaila ana (After looking at her, I told the boarders I did not know her),” Bendanillo said. He said the woman was not in her right mind when she pointed at him in the boarding house.

When he was told to go to the Fuente Police Station for an inquiry, Bendanillo went in the hope that Shirley was already in her “right mind.”

“Gitudlo man gihapon ko, wa man gihapon siya maulii (She still accused me. She was still not in her right mind),” he said.

With his arrest, Bendanillo said he is worried about his 15-year-old daughter’s school expenses.

“Inosente man ko ani... Grabe kaayo ning pakauwaw sa akong kaugalingon (I’m innocent. This has shamed me so much),” he said while seated across Señor.

Señor said they suspected Julius to be involved in the crime. Julius, however, said in a phone call to Bendanillo that he had left for his hometown in Leyte last Saturday.

Julius claimed he had no idea where Dumpe is.

Shirley was with the Women and Children’s Protection Desk yesterday.

Señor said the incident should serve as a warning to people who frequent night clubs and bars on weekends.

“Diha gud, lain-lain klaseng tawo sa disco mag-abot. I- control lang unta. Di magpalabi (Different kinds of people meet at disco clubs. Let’s observe self-control. Don’t drink too much),” he said.