A 17-year-old girl from Negros Oriental was rescued last Friday after she sought the help of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) for alleged sexual abuse by her father in the past 10 years.

In a letter received by the CHR last Friday, the girl wrote that she had been a victim of rape by her father since 2007 and sought help.

The girl was immediately rescued by the CHR and the Provincial Intelligence Bureau (PIB) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in her house in Barangay Basak, Zamboanguita in Negros Oriental.

Dr. Jess Cañete, CHR-Negros Oriental chief and special investigator, revealed that the girl is now under their custody and is being subjected to medico-legal examination to support the filing of charges against her father.

Cañete added that the father had allegedly warned his daughter that he would kill her if she told anyone about the alleged abuse.

The girl’s mother and siblings also claimed to have had no knowledge of it, said Cañete.

In an interview with ABS-CBN News Dumaguete, the father denied raping his daughter, but admitted to mauling his daughter out of anger because she was allegedly always not in their house.

Cañete said authorities confiscated a caliber .357 revolver with 2 ammunition and 3 live shotgun shells during a search at the house of the suspect.

Police will also file a case of illegal possession of firearms and ammunition against the father.