Mayor decries 鈥榙irty politics鈥� as rape case dismissed
Pandi, Bulacan Mayor Enrico Roque —Photo from the Municipality of Pandi FB page
PANDI, BULACAN, Philippines — Mayor Enrico Roque on Tuesday denounced what he described as “dirty politics” as he called for a fair campaign in the upcoming May midterm elections following a Metro Manila court’s dismissal of rape charges filed against him last year.
Roque, who was seeking his third and final term, welcomed the ruling by Judge Ma. Rowena Violago Alejandria of Branch 121 of the Regional Trial Court of Caloocan City, calling it a “vindication” against fabricated allegations designed to tarnish his reputation.
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“The people of Pandi … do not deserve this kind of dirty politics,” Roque told the Inquirer. “I hope these politically motivated attacks and black propaganda will stop. If they could fabricate charges against me, they could do the same to other candidates or even ordinary residents of Pandi.”
On Feb. 25, Alejandria dismissed two counts of rape filed by a 17-year-old girl in 2019 against Roque, Pandi Councilor Reynaldo Roxas Jr. and Rogelio Raymundo Jr.
The provisional dismissal came after the complainant failed to appear in two scheduled court hearings despite being served subpoenas, which were returned and marked “cannot be located.”
Roque said the charges were part of a coordinated effort to discredit him ahead of the elections. —Carmela Reyes-Estrope
