Gov’t has yet to serve arrest warrant to 4 US Marines

The government has until Monday to serve the arrest warrant to the four United States Marines accused of raping a Filipina, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

DFA Spokesman Gilberto Asuque stressed that this 10-day grace period is clearly stated in the country’s Rules of Court.

Citing Section 4, Rule 113 of the Rules of Court, Asuque explained that "the head of the office to whom the warrant of arrest was delivered for execution shall cause the warrant to be executed within 10 days from its receipt."

Last Friday, Olongapo Regional Trial Court Judge Renato Dilag directed the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to serve the arrest warrants to the four who are currently under US Embassy custody.

In the meantime, the arrest warrants is already in the hands of the Department of Justice (DoJ), the government agency where the NBI is under.

Though he admitted that the eventually the DFA will be the one handing the warrants at the US Embassy, Asuque said the department "continues to await the advise of the DoJ in the execution of the warrants of arrest." (Jeffrey G. Damicog, Tempo)