AFP: US cancels Philippines military exercises over rape case

Eugene

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Fri Dec-22-06 03:47 AM
Original message

AFP: US cancels Philippines military exercises over rape case

US cancels Philippines military exercises over rape case

10 minutes ago

MANILA (AFP) - The United States has cancelled its annual joint military exercises
with the Philippines due to the continued detention of a US marine convicted of rape,
according to an embassy spokesman.

"Due to the current custody issue (over the US marine), the usual protection provided
to US servicemembers is in doubt," embassy spokesman Matt Lussenhop told AFP.

"Until the government and the courts ensure the Philippines is in full compliance with
the VFA (visiting forces agreement), it would not be prudent to bring additional US
troops to the Philippines at this time," he said.

Marine Lance Corporal Daniel Smith was sentenced to 40 years jail on December 4 by a
suburban Manila court for the rape of a Filipina last year.

Currently held in a suburban Manila jail, he has become the centre of a dispute between
the US government and the Philippine courts, which refuse to hand him over to the US
embassy.

-snip-

Full article: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20061222/wl_asia_afp/philippinesusmilitarycrimerape

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MADem

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Fri Dec-22-06 03:51 AM
Response to Original message

1. Technically, the US has a case--the appeal is still pending

The VFA states that custody of US troops accused of a crime should remain with the US embassy until "legal processes" are completed.

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Judi Lynn

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Fri Dec-22-06 03:57 AM
Response to Original message

2. The Marine and his friend made the mistake of grabbing and attacking a young woman

from a very powerful Philippine family. If they hadn't had a lot of clout, there would have been no trial, and we would have never known they assaulted her in a van, and threw her, absolutely naked, into the streets as they sped away.

Now that they know _{George Bush} is willing to make an international incident to protect them from the consequences of their actions, they probably won't feel the need to speed away any longer, after attacking citizens.

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nebula

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Fri Dec-22-06 04:44 AM
Response to Reply #2

3. In other words...

"The VFA states that custody of US troops accused of a crime should remain with the US embassy until "legal processes" are completed."

The US allows its troops to kill and rape the locals with impunity.

Gee, no wonder other countries love us so much.

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Nihil

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Fri Dec-22-06 05:57 AM
Response to Reply #3

5. Ding! Ding! Ding!

> The US allows its troops to kill and rape the locals with impunity.
>
> Gee, no wonder other countries love us so much.

And some people thought it was just the "stress of being in Iraq" that
caused these "incidents" ...

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pnorman

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Fri Dec-22-06 04:59 AM
Response to Reply #2

4. "threw her, absolutely naked, into the streets as they sped away."

I tried a few pages of Google, but was unable to find any mention of that so far. That the woman was intoxicated seems to established, and would destroy any claim of "consensuality". "Tossed naked" would be utterly damning, but was that actually established, or was that just rumor? Do you have a source for that?

pnorman

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ellisonz

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Fri Dec-22-06 07:45 AM
Response to Reply #4

6. I'm too tired to go looking for the original wire report...

But she was dumped out the back of the van pretty far out from Manila if I recall...how else does a rapist using a vehicle get rid of his victim?

dumped/threw is semantics, so is undressed/absolutely naked.

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Debau2005

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Fri Dec-22-06 07:54 AM
Response to Reply #4

7. Basic Google Search for

"Philippines Rape Case" found several articles on the first page.

Here is one:
"According to local officials, the six marines met their alleged victim at a bar in Subic Bay and took her for a ride in a hired van. Witnesses saw the van pull over and leave a woman in her underwear on the sidewalk. The woman, whom local media identified as a college graduate on vacation, was taken to a hospital. She later told police that she had been raped during the drive."
http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1110/p05s01-woap.html

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pnorman

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Fri Dec-22-06 09:20 AM
Response to Reply #7

8. Thanks.

I forgot what keywords I had used, but I'm pretty sure there was no CS Monitor listing on the first 2~3 pages. Nor those vital details either. But I have all the necessary info now. Thanks again.

In addition to DU, I participate in in a venue which contains several jingoists --- one of them rabidly so. So, I NEED facts that I can verify, or I'm dead meat. There was NO "questioning of anyone's word" in my initial query, so I'm not sure what to make of that snarky reference to semantic quibbling. But if he/she is so tired, then I wish him/her a hearty goodnight! (O-Yasuminasai!)

pnorman

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Judi Lynn

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Fri Dec-22-06 12:28 PM
Response to Reply #4

9. I found one article which says "half-naked."

~snip~
Witnesses said he treated her to drink after drink, after which the heavily inebriated Nicolas was helped into a van that Smith and his companions � Chad Carpentier, Dominic Duplantis and Keith Silkwood � had rented for the night. Smith and Nicolas sat at the back seat and as she would later testify, he raped her while his fellow U.S. Marines cheered.

The four servicemen then instructed their driver to take them back to where their ship was docked, but not before dumping a half-naked Nicolas outside the Freeport.
(snip)

http://www.philippinenews.com/news/view_article.html?article_id=317e9a98b549b127a2d561a0c472d917

Demonstration in Quezon City

~snip~
�Nicole,� the daughter of a prominent family from Zamboanga, was raped allegedly by four U.S. Marines on Nov. 1 in Subic, Zambales last year. Her case is expected to bear implications for RP-U.S. relations as it is said to be the first against U.S. soldiers to be brought to any Philippine court.

Judge Benjamin Pozon of the Makati Regional Trial Court, Branch 139 is set to promulgate the verdict on the case of �Nicole� tomorrow afternoon � a week after the original schedule he had committed. GABRIELA will be joined by other groups under the banner of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan or New Patriotic Alliance) tomorrow in a rally in front of the Makati RTC.

Salvador also chided the Arroyo government for not asserting custody of the principal accused Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith and accomplices S/Sgt. Chad Carpentier, Lance Cpl. Keith Silkwood, and Lance Cpl. Dominic Duplantis � as she said it could have done.
(snip/...)

http://www.bulatlat.com/breaking/6-43/6-43-eve.htm

The "man" of the hour, the "hero," Cpl. Daniel Smith

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the occassional stickler for details:

~snip~
The 23-year-old woman accused Smith, who had just participated in joint military exercises, of forcing himself on her in the back of a moving van after a night of drinking at the former U.S. naval base at Subic Bay. She claimed three Marines cheered him on, before he dumped her on the street with her pants around her ankles.
(snip)

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/net/2006/12/04/makati.court.under.tight.security.%281.p.m.%29.html

Count Floyd (Separated at birth?)

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