DAET, Camarines Norte -- The Regional Trial Court here sentenced a 70-year old grandfather to 40 years of imprisonment after finding him guilty of raping his own grandchild.

        In a l3-page decision Judge Leo L. Intia of the RTC, Branch 38-Daet, Rolando Espina, married and resident of Barangay San Isidro, San Lorenzo Ruiz, was found beyond reasonable doubt of raping his l3-year old grandchild between May l5, 200l and June l7, 200l in the victim’s house.

        From the testimonies of the victim “Nene,” not her real name, it was shown that the accused temporarily resided at the house of the victim for eight months. The grandfather was given charge of the grandchild by her parents for the father of Nene worked as a driver in the province of Cavite while her mother worked in Labo town, this province.

        It was further noted that before Nene would be violated, she was physically manhandled by the grandfather who also threatened her with a knife in order for her not to reveal to anyone what the old man was doing to her.

        In the court, the accused accepted that he raped the victim only once while her parents were away on May l5, 200l but it was just on a “trip.”

        At the end of the trial, the accused was found guilty on one count and acquitted on ll others requiring him to pay the victim Pl25,000 as damages.