Wednesday, May 23, 2007 Rape victim vs American ‘lover’ recants By Nicolas C. Delfin
AN AMERICAN call center executive, who was complained of rape, may now have a sigh of relief after his 17-year-old girlfriend-accuser recanted her statement against him.
On Monday, the girl, a native of La Union Province, went to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) office in Bacolod and filed a formal complaint against a US native Eric Allison who allegedly raped her thrice here in the city.
The two started as chatmates in the Internet. And later as textmates. After two months of daily conversation through email and text messages, she said Allison invited her to come here in Bacolod and promised to marry her.
However, the love story ended differently when she claimed to have been raped by the American national.
NBI-Bacolod agent-in-charge Mert Cortez is yet to summon Allison to let him explain his side on the complaint filed against him.
But before Allison can explain, the girl recanted her statement against the American national in several media interviews since Monday night until Tuesday.
In her text message sent to Sun Star, she said," I would like you to know that I will not continue anymore the filing of case against Mr. Eric Allison. I want to settle everything in a good way." She added, "I want to stop this issue now. He (Allison) is willing to accept my conditions to help us and support us in going home to La Union."
The girl-complainant clarified that there's no money involved her recantation or her decision to stop the case against Allison.
"It's enough that he offered an assistance to us in going home to La Union," she said, adding: "My aim to come to Bacolod were not successful and that pushed me to leave this city. I don't like to leave without having a settlement on this issue. My point is that I came here as a human and will go home still in that way."
Meanwhile, Allison, a resident of Bugnay Villamonte, still cannot be reached for comment as of this posting. But a certain Cybill Juarez defended Allison from what she called "biased accusation" against him.
Juarez revealed that the complainant asked from Allison a total of P77,000 for her travel expenses in going back to La Union. But Allison refused to give, Juarez said.
"Eric is a good man, a philanthropist by heart who is willing to help. In fact, Eric has six scholars right now, whom he is sending to school, Juarez continued.
"I don't understand why after all the help and goodness he showed to this girl, still she can afford to tell lies against Eric," she said.
