Associate Judge Perry Inos denied Rogelio N. Dela Cruz’s motion to release him on a $10,000 cash bail.
Dela Cruz, who was described as a bet collector for the numbers game jueteng, is accused of molesting a minor who lives in Sinapalo.
He was charged with one count each of sexual abuse of a minor, assault and battery and disturbing the peace of the victim.
According to Sgt. Jonathan DLC Garces’ sworn affidavit, police officers were called to respond to a sexual assault incident around 8:05 p.m. on March 18.
The victim’s mother told Garces she was watching her friends outside their home playing cards when Dela Cruz arrived on his bicycle and told her that he was collecting jueteng.
“At the time, [the mother] said Rogelio was drunk and [she] could smell a strong odor of alcohol. Later, Rogelio left after no one wanted to bet,” said the police investigator.
The mother said her daughter was playing outside with her friends at that time and was waiting to be called for dinner.
When the mother called her daughter, one of the women playing card games said she saw her daughter chasing a dog.
The woman then saw the victim with the suspect behind a white pick-up truck in front of their house, and immediately called the mother, police said.
When the mother called her daughter, she came running to her crying, police added.
“[The mother] said her daughter told her that Rogelio called her to the dark area, grabbed her and touched her [inappropriately] while holding her tight,”the affidavit stated.
