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Saturday, November 19, 2005
Editorial: Beholden
ACCUSATIONS that Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales botched up the custody of the US soldiers accused of raping a 22-year-ld Filipina may not be surprising to some considering how beholden this administration and past administrations are to American interests.
Being the combative official that he is, the secretary dared the Filipina's lawyer, Katrina Legarda, to prove her charges or else face a slander suit. Legarda isn't backing down at all which in a way is a good thing in order to drum up further public support for her case, which faces formidable odds.
Just how long the odds are against the Filipina can be gleaned by the example in Okinawa, Japan in which we have not heard any report of US soldiers accused of rape being hailed to court much less convicted and sentenced to jail.
That's why any perceived mistake done by government of which there could be plenty in dealing with the rape case is being brought to light in order to fuel continued public attention and hopefully, effect a shift in momentum that would result in a trial and prosecution of the offenders.
The entry of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) into the case may spell doom or at least probably buy the lawyers for the Filipina sometime to build their case against the six US soldiers.
At best the likelihood of a settlement is seen to worm its way through the proceedings. That had been the case though for countries like Japan it also involved bigger packages like the relocation of the bases and increased aid.
But it would be seen as insensitive of government if it seeks to exploit the situation by demanding more from the US in exchange for a resolution to the case.
Either way influence-peddling would be done by the US government and it would still be interesting to see what the DFA would do in this situation to determine if they would sell out the country's interest or manage to effect a solution that's mutually acceptable to all parties.
For one has to admit that haling the six US soldiers in court would be a near impossibility given the pressure the White House would exert to ensure their release. Still any slight chance of having them prosecuted is better than no chance at all.
And it is up to the DFA to give the Filipina that chance to meet the soldiers and be given her day in court, to be given justice. Else the acquittal of these American soldiers would further solidify the stranglehold the US government has on our country.
It would certainly be naive of us to think the Americans would bend over and hand us the guilty soldiers but if the national government is sincere about giving justice to the Filipina it would exert every means to see that this is done.
(November 19, 2005 issue)
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