'Alleged rape of Filipina by US serviceman closed'

MANILA, Philippines - For failure of the victim to support her claims and reveal her identity, the Presidential Commission on the Visiting Forces Agreement said the alleged rape of a Filipina by a member of the United States Marine Corps in Makati City last April is considered “closed.”

Undersecretary Edilberto Adan said the VFACom considered “serious” the claims of the Filipina but the Commission began to doubt because the woman’s identity was never established and no willingness to pursue a case against the American military personnel was seen on the part of the victim. “The complainant doesn’t want to identify herself and she said she’s not ready to file the case. What’s interesting is why she made this (claim). She has been used by some groups,” Adan said.”As far as we’re concerned, the case is closed. No complainant, no identity was revealed by her, or by the people handling her, or using her.”

Adan said the victim’s handlers also failed to present the victim and file charges against the suspect to pursue justice. “We did take this seriously. We asked the people handling her to please present her to us so we can get the facts but they didn’t let us meet her so we have doubts,” he added. The VFACom, he said, was in the process of gathering information on the alleged rape of a Filipina.

Adan said yesterday it was the first time the VFACom learned about the rape of another Filipina who narrated her ordeal to women’s group and party-list Gabriela. He said it was unfortunate that the incident was brought out only in May, weeks after the alleged rape took place. 

Adan admitted that it was surprising that the incident was not immediately reported to authorities. 

In April, the Court of Appeals acquitted US Marine Lance Corporal Daniel Smith of the crime of rape of a Filipina in Subic back in 2005 saying the alleged incident was “a spontaneous, unplanned romantic episode,” and that they were “carried away by their passions.”