Published by Philippine News Agency
Operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) 7 arrested Cebu City’s seventh most wanted man in Clarin, Bohol late Sunday afternoon after they stumbled on his account on the social networking site, Facebook.
Jerome Japson, 34, of Barangay Hipodromo, Cebu City, had been eluding authorities for almost five years.
He was charged for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl when he was still a minor.
Unfortunately for him, Facebook is not only used to connect with friends.
Policemen also use it to check the activities of suspects and wanted persons.
Japson was arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 22 Presiding Judge Manuel Patalinghug.
A P25,000 reward was placed on his head.
He had been hiding form authorities since a criminal complaint for rape was filed against him five years ago.
Chief Insp. Fermin Armendarez III of CIDG 7 said the incident happened in March 2007 when the suspect was only 17 years old.
Japson claimed he was sleeping inside their house when the victim, who is now 15 years old, visited him. He considered the victim a family friend.
Japson denied raping the girl and said that he merely touched her private parts when the victim started to resist.
Armendarez told reporters that they relied on Facebook to track down the suspect during their case build-up, after receiving the warrant three months ago.
â€Upon discovering his online account, we we’re able to trace his location also with the help of his former female co-worker,†he revealed.
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