One of the suspects in the rape and robbery of a German national in Bacolod City in September last year who was arrested by the police in May is dead, City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, said yesterday.

De la Paz said Henry Bañez, 21, “alias J.R.”, of Purok Tinagong Paraiso, Brgy. Banago, died of a heart attack at the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital last month.

He said that they will inform Regional Trial Court Branch 42 of his demise so it could cancel his hearings.

The victim, a volunteer of a non-government organization, said she was with two male foreigners and they were sleeping when the suspects barged into their temporary residence and took turns in raping her.

She added that the suspects also took her necklace and her cellular phone and fled.

Bañez was arrested on May 15, this year on the strength of an arrest warrant issued by RTC Branch 42 Judge Fernando Elumba, who denied him bail. He was detained at the Bacolod City Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

Bañez and his companions Joemar Agdana, 18, and Crisinciano Catague, 23, surrendered to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group on October 12 last year and admitted it.

However, they retracted their statements a day after, claiming that the CIDG policemen tortured and forced them to admit the crime and this led to the investigation by the national CIDG.

CIDG national Director Gen. Samuel Pagdilao then ordered the relief of former CIDG-Bacolod head Chief Insp. Ernor Melgarejo, Senior Police Officer 1 Rosendo Bersal and Police Officer 2 Edney Matillano

The suspects’ family also sought the help of the Commission on Human Rights and filed criminal and administrative complaints for alleged violation of the anti-torture law against City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, Melgarejo and eight other CIDG and BCPO personnel.

Meanwhile, Station 5 chief, Senior Insp. Richie Gohee reported the arrest of rape suspect Ryan Buenafe Advincula, 31, of Purok 4 Brgy. Granada yesterday.

Advincula, tagged as the most wanted personality in Brgy. Granada, was arrested on the strength of an arrest warrant issued by RTC Branch 52 Judge Anastacio Rufon.*APN

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