"Nicole's" Pal Testifies In U.S. Marine Rape Case In The Philippines

Komfie Manalo - All Headline News Foreign Correspondent

Makati City, Philippines (AHN) - U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Justin Michael Barberger, who is a friend of the alleged rape victim "Nicole", took the witness stand on Tuesday for the defense, but prosecutors said the testimony he gave in court favors their client.

Bamberger, the defense's second witness, testified a day after principal accused, Lance Corporal Daniel Smith, took the stand to deny the accusations against him and claim what happened between him and the victim was "consensual" sex.

Bamberger said "Nicole," the court-appointed name of the victim, initially sent her a text message denying she had been raped, but two days later, she received more text messages and phone calls from "Nicole" claiming that she was raped.

He told the court he did not know of the four accused identified as Sergeant Chad Carpentier and Lance Corporals Daniel Smith, Keith Silkwood, and Dominic Duplantis.

Public prosecutor Hazel Valdez, who conducted the cross-examination of Bamberger said, "He was more for the prosecution. His testimony showed that as early as a few hours after the rape, Nicole spontaneously told him that she was indeed raped."

The 23-year-old Bamberger told the court that on the morning of November 3, 2005 he sent the girl a text message to inquire about the report that she was raped on November 1 inside a moving van at the former American naval base in Subic, Olongapo in central Philippines.

He said Nicole replied, "It was a stupid rumor." But eight hours later, "Nicole" changed her story and told him she was indeed raped.

"She said she's messed up and that she needed me to pray for her," Bamberger said.

He adds that he usually asks "Nicole" to buy stuff for him as well as fellow U.S. Marines whenever they were not allowed out of military camp and said she never cheated them.

He told the court, "She never cheated."

He also confirmed the written statement he gave to the judge advocate in Camp Navarro in Zamboanga City that "Nicole" had told him that a U.S. Marine had asked her to go outside the club and that she said no.