A police officer in southwest Guizhou Province has been suspended for drinking on the job, but the bigger picture involves his alleged claims that a local official was not guilty of rape because he was wearing a condom, which has enraged the public.

Zhong Xiancong, a deputy instructor at the Ashi Township Police Station in the city of Bijie, was suspended for violating the code of conduct that prohibits drinking on duty, according to a written statement issued Wednesday by the city's political and judiciary department.

Two other police officers, Zhang Qiang and Wang Teng, were also suspended for drinking on duty.

The three police officers consumed alcohol during lunch on May 17, a work day, with a female teacher surnamed Zhou and Wang Zhonggui, an official with the township's land and resources administration.

Zhou reported to police that she had been raped by Wang the next day, which led to Zhong's alleged remarks of "not a rape if Wang wore a condom."

Wang was arrested last Wednesday after Zhou wrote about her ordeal on the Internet, which galvanized public support for her and stirred anger toward Zhong.