5 YEARS of ABUSE: 67-year-old man charged with over 100 counts of rape

Cagayan, Philippines – A 67-year-old man in Allacapan, Cagayan was arrested for allegedly abusing his granddaughter over a five-year period, according to the Police Regional Office 2 on February 6.

The suspect was apprehended based on an arrest warrant for 105 counts of rape, 105 counts of sexual assault, and three counts of acts of lasciviousness.

Police said the alleged abuse began in 2020, when the victim was seven years old. At the time, the child had been left in the care of her grandparents following the separation of her parents.

Investigators reported that the victim did not immediately disclose the incidents due to fear. The abuse was reported five years later after the girl messaged her mother and revealed what had allegedly occurred.

Following the disclosure, the victim’s father filed a formal complaint against the suspect. The victim was 12 years old at the time the case was filed.

In October 2024, UNICEF reported that more than 370 million girls and women worldwide—equivalent to one in eight—experienced rape or sexual assault before the age of 18.Meanwhile, Philippine National Police data from the same year recorded 18,089 child abuse cases involving sexual exploitation and rape.