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AN
OPEN PLEA Let
Justice Prevail! A
DWCU Class 73 alumnus is appealing for help for his niece who was a
victim of rape. To preserve
privacy, the names mentioned in the following have been changed. This
is about my niece, “Maria”, daughter of my first cousin, “Josefina
dela Cruz” (Class ‘78). Maria
was raped when she was 19 years old by his own stepfather.
When this crime was reported to the police, the suspect
went into hiding for over two years.
The couple (my cousin and her
common-law-husband) has since separated and the victim was sheltered at
DSWD Dagupan for about a
year. A few months ago, the
suspect was captured and imprisoned without bail in Urdaneta. The
preliminary hearings are now being conducted. Maria
is now 21 years old and living with me and my family in Metro Manila
where she is studying to
finish high school. I
am trying to support her emotionally and financially but it seems that
she needs more assistance. Her
family is very poor. Her
mother is earning a living selling merienda.
However, her income is not enough to support
her and her other kids. Because
of the legal proceedings and all, my cousin has become nervous and
that she is getting sick and
weak. She is losing faith
and is thinking about giving up the case.
The suspect is doing every trick in the book
like threats, bribes and stories that the act was consensual and seems
to be gaining ground. My
niece could not get enough witnesses because they
are either afraid or don't care. She
informed me that the suspect
brags of having money and being coddled by politicians in Urdaneta.
Despite of all of these, Maria refuses to give
up and is determined to pursue the case until she gets justice for the
heinous crime done to her. I
am writing to you, the officers and members of DWCUAA and all
Urdanetanians around the world to help support this crime victim who in
her modest ways and limited means is trying to fight back and get the justice that she deserves. I think if we all
bond together, we can have a better chance to let justice
prevail in our own hometown. Thank
you very much and God bless. If you are able to help, please contact Johnny S. Soriano, President, DWCUAA at home (858) 391-1318, cell (619) 962-2787, or e-mail “SorianoJS@miramar.usmc.mil”. For donations coming from the Philippines, please send all communications, including monetary donations to Shari Mamalio-Nerza, home Phone No. 632-913-5954, cell Phone No. +639154670575, or e-mail: shari_nerza@hotmail.com. Any financial or emotional support is greatly appreciated.
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