Witness to killing of girl in Argao jailed for not helping victim

CEBU, Philippines - The witness in the killing of a 15-year-old girl in Argao town was sentenced to three months in prison after he admitted to not helping the girl.

Rowen Sarausa, 41, pleaded guilty to abandonment of persons in danger during his arraignment at the court in Argao yesterday.

The Revised Penal Code punishes anyone who fails to render assistance to any dying or wounded person found in an uninhabited place “when he can render such assistance without detriment to himself.”

Jonathan Villegas, lawyer of the victim’s family, told The FREEMAN that the court gave Sarausa the medium penalty because of his admission.

Villegas said that despite the court’s ruling, Sarausa still expressed willingness to testify in the murder case against Raymond Albuera, 21, and Elmo Relativo, 24, the suspects in the killing of Jezreel Higida.

The suspects are scheduled to be arraigned on April 18.

Sarausa earlier narrated that he was tending to his cow when he noticed Albuera and Relativo tailing Higida. The two then grabbed the girl but when she resisted, they allegedly smashed her head with a stone larger than her head. The suspects then dragged the girl’s body to a bushy and secluded area.

Sarausa said he could not help but run away for fear of his life but he reportedly told his uncle about what he saw.

“Pagdagan nila, midagan pod ko. Wa na gyod ko kasabot sa akong gibati,” he told reporters.

Members of the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team found the girl’s body shortly after midday that day. They searched for the girl after her teacher reported that she did not attend school.

The police took account of Sarausa’s testimony and launched a hot pursuit operation. The two suspects were arrested at their respective houses.

An autopsy of the girl’s remains showed she died of severe head injuries but was not raped. — (FREEMAN)