Maggie dela Riva
Encyclopedia
Magdalena T. dela Riva (born 1942) in the Philippines
, is a Filipino movie actress, who has appeared in about 80 films.
She is most widely known outside the Philippines
for an incident in her early career (1967), when she was abducted
and raped. She gave evidence against her abductors, which resulted in the conviction of Jaime G. Jose, a popular music band leader and scion
of a wealthy Manila family, Basilio Pineda, Jr., and Edgardo P. Aquino, by Regional Trial Court Judge Lourdes San Diego. The three men were all executed in the Manila electric chair
on May 17, 1972, and by order of President Marcos, the electrocutions were shown on national television.
Her ordeal is the subject of Rape In The Philippines
.
) and finished secretarial training in 1960 at St. Theresa's College
. As a movie actress, she was receiving P 8,000.00 per picture. At ABS-CBN
, she performed in radio broadcasts and television shows (P 800.00 per month in permanent shows, P 300.00 per month in live promotional shows, and from P100.00 to P200.00 per appearance as guest in other shows). She was the only breadwinner of the family since her father Aquino died, and only her mother took care of the family.
television star in 1967, when she was abducted, raped and tortured by a notorious gang of young men at the Swanky Hotel in Pasay City
. At 4:30 a.m. on 26 June 1967, accused Jaime Jose Y Gomez, Basilio Pineda, Jr., Eduardo Aquino Y Payumo, and Rogelio Cañal Y Sevilla, principals, with accomplices Wong Lay Pueng, Silverio Guanzon Y Romero and Jessie Guion Y Envoltario, having conspired together, forcibly abducted Maggie, 25, and brought her to the Swanky Hotel in Pasay City
. The four accused, by means of force and intimidation, and with the use of a deadly weapon, raped her.
Maggie was homeward bound (No. 48, 12th Street, New Manila, Quezon City) from the ABS-CBN Studio on Roxas Boulevard
, Pasay City
, driving her bantam car with her maid Helen Calderon, when the 4 accused, using a Pontiac
2-door convertible car
, waylaid her. Inside the 2nd floor room of the Swanky Hotel, dela Riva was made to sit on a bed, with Pineda and Aquino standing in front of her, and Jose and Cañal sitting beside her. Pineda said, "Magburlesque ka para sa amin!" ("Dance nude before us!") Completely naked before the 4 men, who were kneeling in front of her, the ordeal lasted for 10 minutes. Maggie was asked thrice to turn around. Jose entered the room and undressed himself. He pushed her backward and pinned her down on the bed. Twice, when she went into a state of shock, her attackers poured water on her face and slapped her to revive her. After the gang finished the rape, at 6 a.m. they put her in a taxi, in front of the Free Press Building near Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and Channel 5.
At home, her mother, her brother-in-law Ben Suba, and several PC officers, policemen and reporters, were present, and she said: "Mommy, Mommy, I have been raped. All four of them raped me."
On June 29, 1967, dela Riva, with her lawyer, Atty. Regina O. Benitez, filed a complaint with the Quezon City Police Department Headquarters, and submitted to an internal medical examination by Dr. Ernesto Brion, NBI Chief Medico-Legal Officer.
, and sentenced each of them to the death
in the electric chair
. The accused lost their appeals.
In a Per Curiam judgment in G.R. No. L-28232 on February 6, 1971, the Supreme Court of the Philippines
modified the RTC decision, to wit:
The incident formed the basis of The Maggie dela Riva Story released in 1994.
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, is a Filipino movie actress, who has appeared in about 80 films.
She is most widely known outside the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
for an incident in her early career (1967), when she was abducted
Kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the taking away or transportation of a person against that person's will, usually to hold the person in false imprisonment, a confinement without legal authority...
and raped. She gave evidence against her abductors, which resulted in the conviction of Jaime G. Jose, a popular music band leader and scion
Kinship
Kinship is a relationship between any entities that share a genealogical origin, through either biological, cultural, or historical descent. And descent groups, lineages, etc. are treated in their own subsections....
of a wealthy Manila family, Basilio Pineda, Jr., and Edgardo P. Aquino, by Regional Trial Court Judge Lourdes San Diego. The three men were all executed in the Manila electric chair
Electric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
on May 17, 1972, and by order of President Marcos, the electrocutions were shown on national television.
Her ordeal is the subject of Rape In The Philippines
Rape In The Philippines
Rape, in Philippine Jurisprudence, is considered a criminal offense. In Philippine society, it is a heinous crime punishable by life imprisonment.-The law:...
.
Early life, education and career
In 1958, Maggie graduated high school at Maryknoll College (now Miriam CollegeMiriam College
Miriam College is a non-stock, non-profit Filipino Catholic educational institution for girls and young women in Quezon City, Philippines. It offers academic programs from pre-elementary to post-graduate and adult education levels that develop the learning and caring competencies of students and...
) and finished secretarial training in 1960 at St. Theresa's College
St. Theresa's College
St. Theresa's College, , Philippines, is a Catholic private school for girls run by the Missionary Sisters of the "Immaculati Cordis Mariae" or Immaculate Heart of Mary ....
. As a movie actress, she was receiving P 8,000.00 per picture. At ABS-CBN
ABS-CBN
ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ...
, she performed in radio broadcasts and television shows (P 800.00 per month in permanent shows, P 300.00 per month in live promotional shows, and from P100.00 to P200.00 per appearance as guest in other shows). She was the only breadwinner of the family since her father Aquino died, and only her mother took care of the family.
The ordeal
Maggie was a rising young ABS-CBNABS-CBN
ABS–CBN Corporation is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment conglomerate. The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network ...
television star in 1967, when she was abducted, raped and tortured by a notorious gang of young men at the Swanky Hotel in Pasay City
Pasay City
The City of Pasay is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is bordered on the north by the country's capital, Manila, to the northeast by Makati City, to the east by Taguig City, and Parañaque City to the south.Pasay City was one of the original four...
. At 4:30 a.m. on 26 June 1967, accused Jaime Jose Y Gomez, Basilio Pineda, Jr., Eduardo Aquino Y Payumo, and Rogelio Cañal Y Sevilla, principals, with accomplices Wong Lay Pueng, Silverio Guanzon Y Romero and Jessie Guion Y Envoltario, having conspired together, forcibly abducted Maggie, 25, and brought her to the Swanky Hotel in Pasay City
Pasay City
The City of Pasay is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is bordered on the north by the country's capital, Manila, to the northeast by Makati City, to the east by Taguig City, and Parañaque City to the south.Pasay City was one of the original four...
. The four accused, by means of force and intimidation, and with the use of a deadly weapon, raped her.
Maggie was homeward bound (No. 48, 12th Street, New Manila, Quezon City) from the ABS-CBN Studio on Roxas Boulevard
Roxas Boulevard
Roxas Boulevard is a boulevard in Metro Manila, and an eight-lane arterial road that connects the center of Manila with Pasay City, Parañaque City. It is one of the major arteries in the city's metropolitan network, designated as Radial Road 1...
, Pasay City
Pasay City
The City of Pasay is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila in the Philippines. It is bordered on the north by the country's capital, Manila, to the northeast by Makati City, to the east by Taguig City, and Parañaque City to the south.Pasay City was one of the original four...
, driving her bantam car with her maid Helen Calderon, when the 4 accused, using a Pontiac
Pontiac
Pontiac was an automobile brand that was established in 1926 as a companion make for General Motors' Oakland. Quickly overtaking its parent in popularity, it supplanted the Oakland brand entirely by 1933 and, for most of its life, became a companion make for Chevrolet. Pontiac was sold in the...
2-door convertible car
Convertible
A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away having windows which wind-down inside the doors, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle...
, waylaid her. Inside the 2nd floor room of the Swanky Hotel, dela Riva was made to sit on a bed, with Pineda and Aquino standing in front of her, and Jose and Cañal sitting beside her. Pineda said, "Magburlesque ka para sa amin!" ("Dance nude before us!") Completely naked before the 4 men, who were kneeling in front of her, the ordeal lasted for 10 minutes. Maggie was asked thrice to turn around. Jose entered the room and undressed himself. He pushed her backward and pinned her down on the bed. Twice, when she went into a state of shock, her attackers poured water on her face and slapped her to revive her. After the gang finished the rape, at 6 a.m. they put her in a taxi, in front of the Free Press Building near Epifanio de los Santos Avenue and Channel 5.
At home, her mother, her brother-in-law Ben Suba, and several PC officers, policemen and reporters, were present, and she said: "Mommy, Mommy, I have been raped. All four of them raped me."
On June 29, 1967, dela Riva, with her lawyer, Atty. Regina O. Benitez, filed a complaint with the Quezon City Police Department Headquarters, and submitted to an internal medical examination by Dr. Ernesto Brion, NBI Chief Medico-Legal Officer.
Judgment
On October 2, 1967, the trial Court found the accused Jaime Jose, Rogelio Ca al, Eduardo Aquino and Basilio Pineda, Jr. guilty of the crime of forcible abduction with rape under Art. 335 of the Revised Penal Code of the PhilippinesRevised Penal Code of the Philippines
The Revised Penal Code contains the general penal laws of the Philippines. First enacted in 1930, it remains in effect today, despite several amendments thereto. It does not comprise a comprehensive compendium of all Philippine penal laws. The Revised Penal Code itself was enacted as Act No...
, and sentenced each of them to the death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
in the electric chair
Electric chair
Execution by electrocution, usually performed using an electric chair, is an execution method originating in the United States in which the condemned person is strapped to a specially built wooden chair and electrocuted through electrodes placed on the body...
. The accused lost their appeals.
In a Per Curiam judgment in G.R. No. L-28232 on February 6, 1971, the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
modified the RTC decision, to wit:
The incident formed the basis of The Maggie dela Riva Story released in 1994.