Sari-sari store owner who ‘squeezed’ customer’s breast in spirit of fun in police custody

CARCAR City police arrested a sari-sari store owner in Sitio Cabiawon, Barangay Valencia, Carcar City, Cebu on Saturday night, October 2, 2022, hours after he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old female customer.

They identified the suspect as 58-year-old Alejandro Alicaway.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Ardioleto Cabagnot, chief of the Carcar City Police Station, the victim and her older sister went to the police around 7 p.m. to report the incident.

Leah (not her real name) told them that she went to the suspect’s store earlier to buy coffee. As he was handing it to her, he quickly copped a feel, she said.

He squeezed one of her breasts and fondled her butt, she said.

Shocked by what just happened, Leah said she immediately returned home and told her older sister about her ordeal in the hands of Alicaway, adding that it was not the first time that he touched her. However, she had always been too scared to tell her parents.

Investigators on duty and members of the station’s women and children’s desk found Alicaway around 10:30 p.m. and took him into custody.

“Naa may hitsura ning 14 anyos. Sexy. Sakto sa barog unya nakabantay guro ni siya nga wala iyaha asawa nangumot napud! Nanggigil ni kay ika-upat naman niya gibuhat,” Cabagnot said.

(The 14-year-old has nice features, sexy. When the suspect noticed that his wife wasn’t around, he took a chance. Apparently, he has a history of being unable to resist the urge to squeeze the girl’s breast or pinch her butt. The girl did claim it was the fourth time.)

Alicaway was charged with acts of lasciviousness on Monday, October 3.

During questioning, the suspect admitted touching Leah’s butt.

“Mao ni iyang hilig paghikap sa mga lubot sa ilahang mga ig-agaw. Komedya ra naanad na siya niini! Wala siya magdahom nga nasuko ang 14 anyos,” Cabagnot said.

(The suspect likes to touch the butts of the girl’s cousins. To him the act was done in the spirit of fun and he has been doing it for a long time. He had no idea the 14-year-old would get angry.)

However, Alicaway vehemently denied squeezing the girl’s breast.

Cabagnot said Alicaway has a right to defend himself, but the latter is facing an uphill battle because of the victim’s claims that he sexually assaulted her four times. (GPL, PJB)