Nicole returns to Subic

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE — Exactly one year after she was allegedly raped by a United States Marine inside a van here, the 23-year old complainant in the Subic rape case returned to the place where her alleged assailants dumped her on Nov. 1, 2005.

"On this day last year, I went to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone for a vacation," said "Nicole."

"I was full of life and hope for my future and I was living happily with my family. I never thought that my vacation would end in tragedy," she recalled.

Nicole was accompanied by her lawyer, Evalyn Ursua, and members of women’s groups who staged a lightning rally near the Alava Pier where the USS Essex and other American escort ships are docked for the latest joint RP-US military exercises in various parts of the country.

The Essex group will be in Subic until today. According to US Marines spokesman Burrell Parmer, the American servicemen will be allowed to have liberty until 6 p.m. every day.

Lawyer Ferdinand Hernandez, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) deputy administrator for administration and the overall chairman of Task Force VFA, meanwhile, has assured that the participants of the bilateral military exercises will be secured while on liberty because of the "long-time friendship between American servicemen and Olongapo City residents."

The return of the Essex group, however, brought sad memories to Nicole.

"Now, after one year, I see that the ship that carried my rapists is back," Nicole said as US Marines disembarked from their ships for liberty at the Subic Freeport and Olongapo City on Wednesday night.

"They (American servicemen) will again be on the prowl for victims," she said. "How many girls will they rape now?"

Nicole has implicated four American servicemen in the rape case — Lance Corporals Daniel Smith, Keith Silkwood, and Dominic Duplantis and Staff Sergeant Chad Carpentier.

The four Marines, who were detailed at the USS Essex when the rape supposedly happened last year, are now under trial at the Makati City regional trial court. The case is set for resolution on Nov. 27.

Nicole claimed that Smith raped her in a moving van on Nov. 1 2005, while his three companions cheered him on.

Smith has maintained that he had consensual sex with Nicole, while the three other US servicemen maintained their innocence all throughout the trial.

Nicole said that it had not been easy for her and her family to file a rape case against the four US servicemen because of what they said was the government’s lack of support.

"Instead of siding with me, they have made it difficult for me," she said, adding that some of the public prosecutors assigned to her case even tried to settle out of court.

"(The four US Marines) should pay for what they did to me. They should go to jail," she said.

The case sparked controversy when the accused were put in the custody of the US Embassy in Manila and when a rift developed between Nicole’s private lawyers and public prosecutors.

Last week, Ursua said the private prosecutors would file a separate memorandum before the Makati City regional trial court (RTC) despite the fact that a memorandum would also be submitted by the government prosecutors.