Foundation executive facing rape charge is feared gone

From: Philippines Daily News, Philippines - 29 Nov 2002

Inquirer News Service

DAUIS, Bohol -- The Municipal Circuit Trial Court has issued a hold-departure order against a former officer of a foundation for deaf mute who is accused of raping one of his wards.

But the accused, Teodoro Cagasan, former assistant director at the International Deaf Education Association (IDEA) Philippines, is believed to have fled to the United States.

Judge Leo Moises Lison of the court in Dauis ordered the Bureau of Immigration and Deportation (BID) to hold Cagasan's departure and arrest him "so that he may be made to answer the charges against him."

The BID asked the judge to give information "and to obviate so many complaints of passengers with similar names."

Cagasan, a native of Duero town, is married to an American national.

Lison earlier issued a warrant for Cagasan's arrest after the preliminary investigation by the court found that "the crime charged may have been committed."

Cagasan was accused by a 17-year-old deaf mute of raping her in his residence in the village of Totolan in Dauis town in the third week of May.

The victim is a sophomore high school student at the SPED Special School in Tagbilaran City, capital of Bohol. She was one of Cagasan's wards at the IDEA. She has since been under the custody of her family.

During preliminary investigation, the victim said she went to Cagasan's house on his orders at about 5 p.m. in May. She said that before she could start cleaning, Cagasan dragged her to the bedroom, forced her to lie down, and raped her.

The IDEA said in a statement that Cagasan had applied for leave to visit his wife in the US before the alleged rape was reported.

The statement said that after learning of the charges, Cagasan was fired by the foundation.

Aside from the rape case lodged before the court in Dauis, the Office of the City Prosecutor also approved the filing of sexual molestation charges against Cagasan for incidents that took place at the Dao Diamond Resort in Tagbilaran City.

The victim had also alleged that Cagasan continued to sexually molest her usually when she was cleaning or replacing the bedding in the guest rooms at the Dao Diamond Hotel in Dao, Tagbilaran City.

The victim said the sexual molestation took place almost everyday after May 17 until June 13, the day before Cagasan fled Bohol.

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