RP team visits accused in Olongapo rape
THE US embassy allowed a group of Philippine officials on Thursday to verify that four Marines charged in the Subic rape case are still in its custody pending their trial.
The group was composed of three officials and a staffer from the Philippine Commission on the VFA (VFACOM) led by executive director Zosimo Paredes.
A source at the VFACOM said the accused are housed in a villa-type structure located at the back of the embassy.
"The structure is like a house. It has a living room and two bedrooms. It is under tight security," the source said.
The source said Paul Ofriel, First Secretary of the embassy’s Political Section, presented the accused who were described as "sad" and "thin" to Paredes and his staff.
Daniel Smith, Dominic Duplantis, Chad Carpentier and Keith Silkwood were with their lawyers.
The source said Paredes’ group stayed for 15 minutes. "After the introduction and a brief tour at the quarters they left," the source said.
The embassy in a statement on its website said the soldiers are restricted to quarters and have no official working role in the mission.
The statement also said the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement allow for the accused to remain in US custody until the end of the trial.
The Arroyo government sent a "note verbale" to the embassy last November requesting for the immediate handover of the soldiers.
Embassy spokesman Matthew Lussenhop, in a phone interview, said Washington is "taking the (diplomatic) request into full account" as called for in the VFA.
Asked why Washington has yet to act on the request, he said: "It’s a complicated issued. It’s a serious request. There are lots of players involved – the government, the military. I think that’s the reason. It is being given full consideration."
"The case is in Philippine jurisdiction. I wouldn’t say that the Philippine government can’t do anything (if the US refuses to give up custody of its servicemen)," he said.
Carpentier, one of the accused, asked Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez to reverse the ruling of the Olongapo prosecutors in tagging him as an accomplice.
In a 30-page petition for review, Carpentier’s lawyer Francisco Rodrigo cited an alleged misreading of the medico legal report of Dr. Rolando Ortis, who examined the victim two days after the incident. (malaya)
The group was composed of three officials and a staffer from the Philippine Commission on the VFA (VFACOM) led by executive director Zosimo Paredes.
A source at the VFACOM said the accused are housed in a villa-type structure located at the back of the embassy.
"The structure is like a house. It has a living room and two bedrooms. It is under tight security," the source said.
The source said Paul Ofriel, First Secretary of the embassy’s Political Section, presented the accused who were described as "sad" and "thin" to Paredes and his staff.
Daniel Smith, Dominic Duplantis, Chad Carpentier and Keith Silkwood were with their lawyers.
The source said Paredes’ group stayed for 15 minutes. "After the introduction and a brief tour at the quarters they left," the source said.
The embassy in a statement on its website said the soldiers are restricted to quarters and have no official working role in the mission.
The statement also said the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement allow for the accused to remain in US custody until the end of the trial.
The Arroyo government sent a "note verbale" to the embassy last November requesting for the immediate handover of the soldiers.
Embassy spokesman Matthew Lussenhop, in a phone interview, said Washington is "taking the (diplomatic) request into full account" as called for in the VFA.
Asked why Washington has yet to act on the request, he said: "It’s a complicated issued. It’s a serious request. There are lots of players involved – the government, the military. I think that’s the reason. It is being given full consideration."
"The case is in Philippine jurisdiction. I wouldn’t say that the Philippine government can’t do anything (if the US refuses to give up custody of its servicemen)," he said.
Carpentier, one of the accused, asked Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez to reverse the ruling of the Olongapo prosecutors in tagging him as an accomplice.
In a 30-page petition for review, Carpentier’s lawyer Francisco Rodrigo cited an alleged misreading of the medico legal report of Dr. Rolando Ortis, who examined the victim two days after the incident. (malaya)
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
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