Pinay files rape case with US military in Japan

MANILA, Philippines – The Filipina who claimed to have been raped by an American serviceman in Okinawa, Japan has filed a case with the US military there, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

“We just learned this morning that the documents for the case are now filed with US military authorities in Okinawa and we are just waiting for the decision of the military authorities whether they will entertain it or not,” DFA Office of Migrant Workers Affair executive director Crescente Relacion said in a press briefing.

The DFA has instructed the embassy in Tokyo to ask for a reinvestigation of the case in the Prosecutor’s Office following the dismissal of the rape case last May 15.

The DFA also directed the embassy to ask the Filipina’s Japanese lawyer to look into the possibility of filing a case with US military authorities in Okinawa.

“We are closely monitoring the case. The decision of the prosecutor is a different issue but as far as we are concerned we are committed to give assistance to the victim,” Relacion said.

He said the government has assisted the victim in filing the complaint as well as her stay at the Naha Prefecture and hiring the services of a private lawyer to assist in the case. An embassy staff was also sent to Okinawa to give moral support to the Filipina and assess the case.

The Naha Public Prosecutor dismissed the rape case filed by the Filipina victim against the American serviceman for lack of probable cause to indict the suspect.

DFA undersecretary for migrant workers’ affairs Esteban Conejos Jr. said a petition to reopen the investigation would be filed before the Public Prosecutor’s Office.     – Pia Lee-Brago