PRO8 arrests farmer who made daughter his sex slave

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
April 5, 2013

CAMP SEC. KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – The long arms of the law finally caught up a farmer who made his daughter his sex slave for 3 years when he was arrested by policemen after five years in hiding.

“The suspect thought he can escape liability on his evil deeds, but unfortunately for him, our intelligence gathering efforts paid off,” Police Chief Superintendent Elmer Ragadio Soria, Regional Director of Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) said.

Soria identified the suspect as Nelson Villagracia y Rivera, 43, married, of Brgy Lupig, Sta Rita, Samar.

Villagracia was arrested by a police team led by PSInsp. Romelito Sorila early Tuesday morning at the outskirts of Brgy. Lupig after receiving positive information from Barangay Intelligence Network (BIN) member on his presence in the area.

The police team was armed with an arrest warrant issued by Hon. Jovito Abarquez, former Presiding Judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 30 in Basey, Samar.

Suspect is facing 2 counts of rape charges docketed under criminal case numbers 2008-12-3369 and 2008-12-3370 and is ranked number 1 in the list of most wanted persons in Sta. Rita town.

For three years, suspect allegedly made his then 8-year old daughter, name withheld, a sex slave since year 2005.

Villagracia’s criminal acts was discovered when the victim finally reported her ordeal to her grandmother sometime in April 2008 who immediately sought the assistance of the police. The victim was allegedly last raped by her father on that same day she braved to report to her grandmother to put an end to her agony.

The suspect immediately went into hiding before the police could arrest him.

Intelligence efforts have been carried out to track down the whereabouts of the Villagracia and a significant breakthrough came on Good Friday when the police received information that the target person was sighted at vicinity of Brgy. Lupig.

It was then that a manhunt operation was conducted leading to the suspect’s arrest.