A police officer accused of raping an unconscious woman inside a motel in Manila has surrendered to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), authorities said.

The NBI on Tuesday presented Patrolman Joshua Semilla Mendoza to the media following the issuance of an arrest warrant by the Manila Regional Trial Court.

According to NBI Head Agent and Spokesperson Palmer Mallari, the surrender came after Mendoza’s lawyer sent feelers indicating his client’s willingness to submit to authorities. Operatives of the bureau immediately acted on the request, leading to Mendoza’s voluntary surrender.

Mallari said the surrender was coordinated properly to ensure the orderly enforcement of the arrest warrant.

The defense, however, stressed that Mendoza’s surrender should not be interpreted as an admission of guilt, but rather as a manifestation of his readiness to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and legal proceedings.

The complaint stemmed from allegations made by a 27-year-old woman, identified only as “Anna,” who claimed she lost consciousness after consuming her last drink at a bar in Quezon City.

The victim alleged that Mendoza may have slipped something into her drink, causing her to suddenly black out.

She further claimed that she was taken out of the bar while unconscious and transported in a wheelchair before being brought to a motel in Manila, where the alleged sexual assault took place.