Russian arrested for child abuse

A 45-year-old Russian national was arrested by operatives of the Consolacion Police Station for allegedly molesting six minors in a subdivision in Barangay Lamac, Consolacion, Cebu, around 1 a.m. yesterday.

Senior Police Officer 2 Marjorie Paller of Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) of the Consolacion Police Station said that past midnight Thursday one of victims' mothers came to their office and reported that a certain Dmitri Nikuli, who rented a house in that subdivision, molested her nine-yearold daughter.

She also told the police that there were five other minors living with Nikuli in his house.

"Nagluto daw ni sila (mama) sa ubos dihang nakadungog sila og siyagit sa bata sa second floor sa balay. Dihang ilang gisusi kay ilang naabtan ang bata (the nine-year-old) nga naked og didto nisumbong nga gihikap siya sa private parts," said Paller.

After the report, the Consolacion WCPD together with municipal social workers immediately went to the area and arrested the suspect. They also rescued the other victims aged five, eight, 11, 12, and 16.

The victims and the suspect reportedly just arrived from a beach outing somewhere in Compostela.

"Kani daw ang mga bata kay gi-sponsoran daw ni sa foreigner like sa ilang pag-eskwela. Aduna sila'y monthly allowance and pati ilang basic needs sa eskwelahan. Unya og moabot siya diri twice a year kay iya 'ning ilaag ang mga bata. Kuyog pud ang mga ginikanan. Mao nisalig ra sad sila," Paller said.

Paller said the victims, all residents of Mandaue City, belonged to families left homeless by a fire last year and lived in the house of the suspect.

Based

on

their interview with them she said that aside from the nine-year-old, the fiveyear-old and eight-yearold were also allegedly molested by the suspect but chose to remain silent out of fear.

"Ang kaning mga below 10 years old daw ang mga gimolestiya. Ang kaning above 10 years old kay matod nila wala man daw sila hilabti," Paller said.

Nikuli is now temporarily detained in the Consolacion Police Station lock-up cell while cases for the violation of Republic Act 8353 or the Anti-Rape Law in relation to Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act are being prepared against him.

Paller added that they are now coordinating with Children Legal Bureau to determine if the suspect has other victims.

Just last Wednesday afternoon, a 67-year-old German national was also arrested in Lapu-Lapu City for alleged sexual exploitation of two minor boys.