GIs in rape get 4th of July break from trial

Judge Benjamin Pozon of Makati City regional trial court will not hold a hearing on the Subic rape case tomorrow, July 4, because the US Embassy will be closed for American Independence Day.

Granting the motion of the four US Marines accused of raping a 22-year-old Filipina, Pozon made the ruling after the prosecution did not make any objection.

The four accused US servicemen are Lance Corporals Daniel Smith, Keith Silkwood and Dominic Duplantis and Staff Sgt. Chad Carpentier.

The court was informed that lawyers of the accused will not be able to bring them to the hearing because the US Embassy, which has custody of the US soldiers, will be closed tomorrow.

For today’s hearing, the complainant’s stepsister will again take the witness stand for her cross-examination.

After her, the prosecution said it will bring back the medico-legal officer of James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital for some clarificatory questions.

The private prosecutor’s plan to bring in forensic pathologist Raquel Fortun as an expert witness still hangs in the balance after the court asked for time to study the doctor’s qualifications last Friday.

Meanwhile, members of the party-list group Gabriela will troop to the US Embassy in Roxas Boulevard, Manila tomorrow to stage a symbolic protest action against how the US allegedly disrespects the Philippines.

"The rape of our nation and of our women is not friendship," Gabriela said, citing the Balikatan military exercises and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) as examples of how the US violates Philippine sovereignty. — Michael Punongbayan