Slain Christine Silawan was raped — PAO forensics chief

Silawan, he added, was also choked using the suspect’s right hand and was tied using a one-centimeter rope because there were ligature marks on her left wrist and neck. (File photo: Debbie Jane Bancale)

The 16-year-old teen who was brutally murdered in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu was raped before she was killed, according to Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) forensics chief Dr. Erwin Erfe.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, April 2, Erfe said based on their findings, they saw signs of “extensive abrasions” and “hematoma” on Christine Silawan’s private part, indicating that she was raped and that force was used on her.

Aside from that, they also found out that sulfuric acid may have been poured to the girl’s face as there were burn marks on her forehead, eyes, as well as on her neck.

“Siya ay maaaring binuhusan ng asido pagkatapos mamatay at tinuklap po ‘yung kanyang mukha. Pagkatuklap po ng kanyang mukha ay binuhusan po ulit ng asido dahil sunog din po ‘yung muscle dito (The acid may have been poured to her after she was killed and then her face was skinned. After her face was skinned, the acid was poured on her again because the muscle in her forehead),” Erfe said pointing to his forehead then continued, “…‘yung loob ng mata, ‘yung eyeball ay sunog din. Meron din pong sunog dito sa area ng kanyang leeg (…the inner part of her eyes, her eyeballs were also burned. There were also burn marks on her neck area),” he said.

Silawan, he added, was also choked by a ‘right hand’ and was tied using a one-centimeter-thick rope because there were ligature marks on her left wrist and neck.

Erfe believed that the crime was not done only by one person, but at least by ‘three’ people.

“Mahirap pong gawin ito ng isang tao lang dahil mukhang kinakailangan mong i-restrain ‘yung kanyang dalawang kamay at dalawang paa (It is a difficult task to be done by just one person because you have to restrain her hands and feet),” he said.

Erfe said the family of Silawan requested for an examination on the teenager’s body to determine whether she was raped or not because “hindi makapaniwala ang kanyang mga magulang at mga kaanak, na siya ay hindi na-rape (her parents and relatives cannot believe that she was not raped).”

In an interview with GMA’s Unang Balita, Police Colonel Lemuel Obon, chief of Lapu-Lapu City Police, said Silawan might not have been raped based on the autopsy by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Crime Laboratory.

“Sa autopsy po walang indication na ganun (rape) although mayroon wounds pero deep healed na po iyon (In the autopsy, there was no indication that there was a rape incident although there are wounds, those are deep healed already),” he had said.

Grade-9-student Silawan’s body, was recovered in Barangay Bangkal, Lapu-Lapu City on March 11. Her body was found half-naked with multiple stab wounds and her skull exposed as her face was skinned.

The 17-year-old suspect in Silawan’s murder, who is identified as the victim’s ex-boyfriend, was placed back under the custody of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). According to the suspect’s lawyer Vincent Isles, the teenager’s mother agreed that they will “voluntarily” commit the child to a care facility, following President Rodrigo Duterte’s remarks ordering the re-arrest of the suspect.

[READ: Teen suspect in Silawan killing to be put back to DSWD custody]