ARREST RAPISTS!

JOHNNY REBLANDO, People's Journal

OLONGAPO City Judge Renato Dilag yesterday issued warrants for the arrest of four American marines accused of raping a Filipino woman.

However, the court dropped Timoteo Soriano, Jr. from the charge sheet, saying there was no reason to indict him. Soriano drove the van where the sexual abuse reportedly took place.

Dilag ordered the National Bureau of Investigation to serve the arrest warrants against Lance Corporals Daniel Smith, Dominic Duplantis, Keith Sikwood and Staff Sergeant Chad Carpentier.

With the issuance of the warrants, the court denied the motion filed by the four accused seeking to defer the proceedings.

"I can grant that the matter of sovereignty and national pride has set-in in this particular case. But in pursuing the normal legal process in the light of the provisions of the Visiting Forces Agreement with the US government, I am of the view that we can first try to exhaust diplomatic means to get custody of the four American servicemen. After all, we are a civilized nation and we adhere to the tenets of international law. The strong arm of the law is not yet necessary at this point," Dilag said.

The four suspects are under the custody of the US Embassy. The Philippine government had sought custody of the suspects, but the request has not been acted upon by the US government.

US Embassy spokesman Matt Lussenhop would not comment on the arrest warrant but reiterated that "the VFA allows the United States to retain custody till the end of judicial proceedings." With AFP


JIMENEZ DID TIME FOR ILLEGAL CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, BUT THOSE MARINES? An activist holding handcuffs to symbolize the arrest of four US marines accused of raping a woman protests in front of the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila. Arrest warrants were issued 13 January against four US Marines accused of raping a local woman in northern Philippines, officials said. AFP PHOTO