Nights of Disquiet

Kabanata 5

Kabanata 5

Jess's POV

THE MANILA TODAY

Roxanne Dela Paz rape slay case, alleged suspect is Quezon City Mayor Manuel Valiente

By Louisse Tuazon

Published on March 20, 2002

Edited on March 27, 2002

MANILA, Philippines – Roxanne Dela Paz, 20, a B.S. in Biology student at the University of the Philippines Diliman, was found dead inside a white van at Brgy. Langkaan I in Dasmariñas, Cavite City, on the late night of March 19. The alleged suspect is Quezon City Mayor Manuel Valiente, who is under investigation by Police Officer Thomas De Aguirre of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Dela Paz's t-shirt was rolled up above her neck, exposing her bruised chest while her underwear was pushed down her toes, exposing her sex, and her face was bruised with red marks. Two cans of beer were seen around the area where her body was found. According to De Aguirre, the cans contained semen, giving them a presumption that Dela Paz suffered multiple rapes before she was shot dead.

Her parents, Amanda and Greg Dela Paz told the media that Dela Paz called them on the morning of March 18 to say that she was beaten up after Valiente and his men raped her in an abandoned location. Alyssa Reyes, Dela Paz's friend, appeared on the media, too, and confessed that she and Dela Paz were waiting for a bus on the night of March 17 when a white van abruptly halted in front of them. Reyes managed to run away and immediately went to the authorities to confess the abduction of Dela Paz.

Just after the gruesome rape and murder were exposed on national television, Ambrosio Castro, one of Valiente's bodyguards, decided to lend his phone to Dela Paz out of conscience and admitted that the crime happened at night on March 18.

The controversial rape slay case spread throughout the country and the verdict has yet to be decided as there is no evidence yet that Quezon City Mayor Valiente is the suspect of the crime when photos and videos of him vacationing in Baguio City on the exact day of rape and murder were found.

Dela Paz's parents, Reyes, and Castro are firmed with their statements that Mayor Valiente is the only suspect in the crime.

Edit: After a week of releasing her statement, Reyes was nowhere to be found. On the other hand, Castro was found dead in his house in Cainta, Rizal. Dela Paz's parents are hopeful that justice will be rightfully served.

Pagkatapos kong basahin ang article ng katrabaho kong si Ms. Tuazon, nagbasa pa ako ng ibang articles online tungkol kay Roxanne Dela Paz. Iisa lang ang pinupunto ng mga articles. Na walang patunay na si Valiente ang gumahasa at pumatay kay Roxanne. Na hindi sapat ang statements ng mga magulang ni Roxanne, ng kaibigan niyang si Alyssa at ng bodyguard ni Valiente na si Ambrosio na ngayon ay patay na.

Naging matunog ulit ang krimen dalawang taon ang nakakalipas nang maibalita sa TV na pumanaw na ang ina ni Roxanne. Ayon kay Greg Dela Paz, namatay ang asawa niya sa sama ng loob at dismaya sa kaso ng kanilang anak kung saan hindi nila nakuha ang hustisya. Matapang pa nga ang mga statements no'n ni Mr. Dela Paz. Kitang-kita ko ang galit niya sa pamilya Valiente lalo na kay Manuel. Galit 'yon ng isang magulang sa pagkamatay ng kaniyang anak. Galit ng isang magulang na hindi nakuha ang hustisya. Galit ng isang magulang sa isang pulitikong nakatakas sa kasalanan.

Hindi man nahatulan si Valiente, maraming Pilipino ang naniniwalang siya ang suspek sa rape slay case ni Roxanne. Dahil sa social media, nananatiling buhay ang ginawa niyang kasalanan. Kung saan halos mga kabataan ang nagsasabi na dapat ay hindi na tumatakbo sa pulitika si Valiente. Kaya nang mag-file ito ng COC last year para tumakbo sa pagka-mayor, nag-trending ang #RapistSiValiente online.