The rape charges issued against the mayor of Pandi, Bulacan and two others have been provisionally dismissed due to lack of evidence and the questionable identity of the complainant.
In a report by RH 29 Boy Gonzales, Regional Trial Court Branch 121 in Caloocan junked the rape charges against Mayor Enrico Roque, Pandi Councilor Jonjon Roxas, and Rogelio Raymundo Jr.
Citing Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) records, the decision released by Presiding Judge Rowena Violago Alejandria declared that the complainant, Mikaela Buico Mariano, is nonexistent.
Moreover, her residential address and medico-legal—missing from the documents of the local city police station’s Women and Children Protection desk records—were allegedly fabricated.
“When the case was called, there was still no appearance on the part of the private complainant...despite personal service of the subpoena sent upon her. The return of the subpoena sent to said private complainant shows 'cannot be located.' The record further shows that this is the second time that the private complainant failed to appear despite notice," the court said.
“Wherefore, in view of the repeated failure of the private complainant to appear despite notice and on motion of the defense counsel, let this case be provisionally dismissed with the express conformity of the accused.”
On December 17, 2024, Roque, Roxas, and Raymundo were seized by the Philippine National Police - Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) at a Christmas party the mayor held for Pandi’s senior citizens.
In response, the mayor’s camp lodged a motion to quash warrant of arrest and information, arguing the rape complaint was “false, made up and politically motivated,” and that they had not been provided a copy of the complaint and therefore been denied due process. They were released on December 23.
