ORMOC CITY — A 47-year-old farmer facing charges of statutory rape and rape through sexual assault was arrested by police Thursday afternoon in Barangay Hugpa, Ormoc City, by virtue of warrants issued by a court in Carigara, Leyte.
The suspect, identified by police as Michael Arias Mutya, single and a resident of Barangay Guinadiongan, Capoocan, Leyte, was apprehended at around 1:46 p.m. by joint operatives from the Intelligence Section of Ormoc City Police Office Station 6 and the Capoocan Municipal Police Station.
Police said Mutya was arrested based on two warrants issued by the Regional Trial Court in Carigara, Leyte.
The first warrant, dated Feb. 25, 2026, was issued by Judge Lauro Andres Perez Castillo Jr. of RTC Branch 36 for a charge of statutory rape under Criminal Case No. R-CAP-2026-002-CR. The court recommended no bail for the offense.
The second warrant, dated Feb. 26, 2026, was issued by Judge Emelinda Ripalda Maquilan of RTC Branch 13 for rape through sexual assault under Criminal Case No. R-CAP-2026-001-CR, with bail set at P200,000.
During a police interview, the suspect claimed he was unaware that charges had been filed against him after he left his hometown to assist his ailing mother in Barangay Hugpa, where he was eventually arrested.
He denied the allegations involving the six-year-old complainant, saying he never raped the child and claiming that he had only pinched the child’s legs.
Police said the suspect was informed of the nature of his arrest and apprised of his constitutional rights in a language he understood.
He was taken to Police Station 6 for booking and documentation before being turned over to the court that issued the warrants for appropriate legal proceedings.
(ROBERT DEJON)
