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Friday, November 04, 2005
Justice, foreign office probe rape raps v. US soldiers
By Marna H. Dagumboy
SUBIC BAY FREEPORT ZONE -- The Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Finance (DOF) are investigating the alleged rape of a 22-year-old woman by five US Navy personnel on All Saints' Day.
The US servicemen, from the visiting USS Essex, were reportedly prevented from boarding their departing ship on Thursday because of the case.
In a press statement, Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) chairman Feliciano G. Salonga said the SBMA have already assisted the victim in terms of medical attention and legal support.
"We immediately took action on this case since the incident was reported to us by one of the witnesses," Salonga said.
The DOJ and the DFA immediately sent their representatives to Subic Bay after learning about the incident from SBMA officials.
The US soldiers, then spending rest and recreation here, were ordered to stay in the country to answer the charges already filed against them, the SBMA stated.
Foreign affairs officials said the US soldiers would be made available to Philippine authorities.
Zosimo Paredes, executive director of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA), said the five US soldiers, who are among the 4,000 to 4,500 US servicemen here for the Talon Vision exercises since several weeks ago, are now in Philippine custody.
It was learned that the five US soldiers are detained at the local police station.
A report said the victim met the US soldiers in an "entertainment establishment". (With reports from RGN)
(November 4, 2005 issue)
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