Warrant vs 4 U.S. soldiers out Friday
The presiding judge in the controversial Subic rape case involving four U.S. Marines said that he would issue the warrant of arrest on Friday.
"I was burning the midnight oil for the last few nights, and I feel I am ready to come out with the resolution disposing all the pending incidents, and the earliest is Friday," Judge Renato Dilag said.
Dilag said he discussed the possibility of the issuance of the warrant of arrest with Department of Foreign Affair (DFA) Undersecretary Zosimo Paredes.
He said he told Paredes to at least look at the provisions on the detention under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Under Par. 10 of Article 5, where both parties, the Philippine and the United States governments, may agree on the detention place of the offenders.
"What matters to me is to issue the "order of arrest" if it is an order of arrest, or a return of the case to the Prosecutor's Office to conduct further investigation if I may ask to," he added.
He earlier set yesterday (Jan. 11) the deadline for the accused through their respective counsels to submit their comment on the "opposition" of the City Prosecutor's Office to the series of motions filed by the accused.
Dilag said the upcoming talk between Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would not affect his decision to issue the warrant of arrest.
"I don't think I will wait for the result of the talk, if there is a need to issue the warrant of arrest, I will have to do it," he stressed.
"Ayaw magbigay ng commitment ang U.S. Embassy at ipinauubaya nila to their principal because remember the ambassador represents the president of his or her country so if he or she believes the issue or the matter at hand is beyond their level, then they consult the principal or the president of their country," Paredes explained.
Paredes said that he is scheduled to visit the U.S. Marines for the second time tomorrow.
"The difference of this visit to my last visit was that the first time I visited them they were presented to me in a conference room at the U.S. Embassy, so hindi ko alam kung saan galing ang mga iyan. This time, I specified na kung saan sila held in custody, doon ko sila gustong makita," he said.
Paredes claimed he was not aware where the soldiers are being held in custody but promised to find out tomorrow with his second visit. He said the four should really be "confined" to quarters.
"I will make this reminder to them because the Filipino people will feel slighted if they see that these accused were not confined and were enjoying themselves," he said.
Paredes said will find out how the custody is being conducted at the U.S. embassy and possibly compare it to the standard of our present detention cells.
"If Judge Dilag issue the warrant of arrest anytime, these will be brought to the DFA and through a note verbale, the officials of the department will invite the officials of the U.S. embassy headed by Paul Jones and hand them the warrant of arrest," he added.
Balikatan '06 to push trough
Despite the rape incident, the biggest war exercise -- the Balikatan Exercise -- will be conducted in the country by late February to March this year in the same places where the exercises were conducted before.
The exercise will be held in Ternate, Cavite; Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija and in Subic and Clark.
Paredes said the American's battleships will be docking again in Subic and are expected to carry around 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers participating in the exercises.
In terms of rest and recreation (R&R), Paredes said he would be talking more closely with the American director of the exercise to be more strict with their commanders in terms of holding them responsible for any untoward incident that may happen.
"I know the importance of R&R, makapag-relax, maka-unwind, mahalaga iyon sa psychological set-up nila before they go back to war. I will recommend that they should be more strict in the implementation of the R&R," Paredes said.
Johnny R. Reblando, Peoples Journal
"I was burning the midnight oil for the last few nights, and I feel I am ready to come out with the resolution disposing all the pending incidents, and the earliest is Friday," Judge Renato Dilag said.
Dilag said he discussed the possibility of the issuance of the warrant of arrest with Department of Foreign Affair (DFA) Undersecretary Zosimo Paredes.
He said he told Paredes to at least look at the provisions on the detention under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). Under Par. 10 of Article 5, where both parties, the Philippine and the United States governments, may agree on the detention place of the offenders.
"What matters to me is to issue the "order of arrest" if it is an order of arrest, or a return of the case to the Prosecutor's Office to conduct further investigation if I may ask to," he added.
He earlier set yesterday (Jan. 11) the deadline for the accused through their respective counsels to submit their comment on the "opposition" of the City Prosecutor's Office to the series of motions filed by the accused.
Dilag said the upcoming talk between Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would not affect his decision to issue the warrant of arrest.
"I don't think I will wait for the result of the talk, if there is a need to issue the warrant of arrest, I will have to do it," he stressed.
"Ayaw magbigay ng commitment ang U.S. Embassy at ipinauubaya nila to their principal because remember the ambassador represents the president of his or her country so if he or she believes the issue or the matter at hand is beyond their level, then they consult the principal or the president of their country," Paredes explained.
Paredes said that he is scheduled to visit the U.S. Marines for the second time tomorrow.
"The difference of this visit to my last visit was that the first time I visited them they were presented to me in a conference room at the U.S. Embassy, so hindi ko alam kung saan galing ang mga iyan. This time, I specified na kung saan sila held in custody, doon ko sila gustong makita," he said.
Paredes claimed he was not aware where the soldiers are being held in custody but promised to find out tomorrow with his second visit. He said the four should really be "confined" to quarters.
"I will make this reminder to them because the Filipino people will feel slighted if they see that these accused were not confined and were enjoying themselves," he said.
Paredes said will find out how the custody is being conducted at the U.S. embassy and possibly compare it to the standard of our present detention cells.
"If Judge Dilag issue the warrant of arrest anytime, these will be brought to the DFA and through a note verbale, the officials of the department will invite the officials of the U.S. embassy headed by Paul Jones and hand them the warrant of arrest," he added.
Balikatan '06 to push trough
Despite the rape incident, the biggest war exercise -- the Balikatan Exercise -- will be conducted in the country by late February to March this year in the same places where the exercises were conducted before.
The exercise will be held in Ternate, Cavite; Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija and in Subic and Clark.
Paredes said the American's battleships will be docking again in Subic and are expected to carry around 3,000 to 5,000 soldiers participating in the exercises.
In terms of rest and recreation (R&R), Paredes said he would be talking more closely with the American director of the exercise to be more strict with their commanders in terms of holding them responsible for any untoward incident that may happen.
"I know the importance of R&R, makapag-relax, maka-unwind, mahalaga iyon sa psychological set-up nila before they go back to war. I will recommend that they should be more strict in the implementation of the R&R," Paredes said.
Johnny R. Reblando, Peoples Journal
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
8:03 PM
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