MANILA, Philippines - For the first time since she was recovered unconscious after being raped, volunteer nurse "Florence" has uttered her first word on Friday as she continues to recover from the traumatic experience at a hospital in Davao City.
Dr. Leopoldo Vega, chief of the Southern Philippine Medical Center, said the volunteer nurse uttered her first word on Friday, ahead of the scheduled visit of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.
"For the first time she uttered a word. What she said was, 'Mama,'" Vega told ABS-CBN News.
Vega said that the lump in the nurse's brain has already subsided and she can already move her legs.
The victim was almost paralyzed due to the head trauma inflicted by her attackers last September 25 inside the compound of the South Upi Municipal Hospital, where she works as a volunteer nurse.
After the arrest of 6 men, former militiaman Melchor Fulgencio surrendered to the police and confessed to the rape.
Fulgencio has told police that his friend named "Edwin" hit the nurse in the head and raped her at the back of the hospital.
Dr. Tahir Sulaik, provincial health officer of Maguindanao, earlier said that the volunteer nurse was unconscious and half naked when found at the back of the hospital.
Sulaik said that the nurse's face was badly damaged by her attackers.
De Lima told reporters on Friday after her visit at the Davao City hospital that they are now mulling the possibility of removing from the list of suspects the 6 men who were initially arrested by the local police of South Upi town.
"I am inclined to dropping the case against the 6 kasi according to her (Florence) colleagues, hindi naman umalis sa lugar ang mga kasama ni Florence Joy except one na nauna nang umalis dahil lasing na," De Lima said.
There were earlier reports that the volunteer nurse had a drinking party with the 6 suspects before the rape happened.
De Lima, meanwhile, said that she has instructed the police and the National Bureau of Investigation to closely study the statement of the former militiaman.
Before her visit to the nurse, De Lima led a case conference with the 2 investigating teams and local prosecutors in Cotabato City.
She said that as soon as doctors at the Davao City hospital give them the go signal, probers will show the volunteer nurse the pictures of Fulgencio and the 6 suspects.
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