Syamsul Huda M. Suhari, Gorontalo – After naming four rape suspects, the Gorontalo Police have yet to resume examining nine other perpetrators, including eight police officers, allegedly involved in the rape of a 17-year-old senior high school student.

"The others have not yet been questioned," Gorontalo Police chief spokesperson Lisma Dunggio told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

The police claimed they were still focusing on completing the case files of four suspects that had been detained at the police headquarters since Wednesday. She added that the police had also sent the investigation commencement letter to the local prosecutor's office.

The four suspects have been identified only as IM, a warrant officer on duty at the Paguyaman sector in Boalemo regency and civilians MN, NN and KK. They have been charged with violating articles 81 and 82 of the Child Protection Law, which carry a prison sentences of between three and 15 years.

Asked why the eight other police officers had yet to be questioned, Lisma only said that investigators were still looking into the case. She acknowledged that the police were not concerned that the suspects would try to flee before being examined. "God willing, they will not escape, moreover where would they flee?" she added.

She also called on the media not to use the word "rape" in the case. "The meaning and connotation is different. If the word rape is used, it means the incident took place there and then in a group and there was resistance from the victim. Furthermore, rape has yet to be proven," Lisma said.

According to Lisma, the media should have used the term "molestation" in their reports, because the incidents took place repeatedly over time and was committed by different people. Despite that, Lisma said the police had pledged to resolve the case, because whatever the reasons, the victim should be protected and the perpetrators must be punished accordingly.

Earlier, based on the victim's recollection in front of investigators, she was raped by 13 people, nine of them police members, three factory security guards and a civilian. The alleged rapes took place between July and October this year.

Separately, a Women's Institute for Research and Empowerment Gorontalo (WIRE-G) activist, Andi Inar Sahabat, deemed that the police had intentionally played down facts in the case by asking the media to use the term "molestation". "The victim was obviously raped, as she was forced and threatened by the perpetrators. This is rape and molestation," asserted Inar.

Furthermore, she added, what was mentioned as an act of resistance, as defined by the police as rape, was debatable due to the lack of classification and clear argument.

She said her group would ask the police to not obscure the facts and essence of the case. "This could be a bad precedent for the police. Quick or sluggish handling of the case by the police could be a deciding factor in restoring public trust," said Inar.