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Philippines vows justice for rape

Protesters display placards and shout slogans during a rally yesterday near the US embassy in Manila, calling for justice in the case of a Filipina woman allegedly raped by five US Marines who were part of the just-concluded counterterrorism exercise. The protesters called for the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement that allows joint military exercises between Philippine and US troops. PHOTO: AP

The Philippine government has vowed that justice will be served in the case of a Filipino woman who was allegedly raped by six US Marines earlier this week, a senior government official said yesterday.

"We will make sure that justice within the due process will prevail," Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said. "Whatever assistance that is needed by our countryman will be provided."

Bunye said the government's justice and foreign departments were coordinating closely on the case.

"Everybody is doing his job as far as seeing to it that justice is done," he said.

Bunye cited close cooperation with the US embassy in Manila to ensure the issue was resolved quickly.

The six US Marines were taken into custody by the US embassy while the complaint was being investigated by state prosecutors.

The suspects were among more than 4,000 US troops participating in joint military exercises with Filipino soldiers.

The war games, underway since late last month, were slated to end on Friday.

The alleged rape of the 22-year-old woman occurred in Subic, a former US naval base 90km north of Manila.

Subic authorities said the suspects met the victim inside a karaoke bar and invited her to join them in a rented vehicle.

A few hours later, witnesses claimed they saw the woman being dumped unconscious from a van onto the road.

The alleged rape sparked protests from leftist groups that renewed their calls for the end of the joint military exercises with US troops and the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement.
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