Philippines: shameless act of collaboration of the Arroyo regime and the U.S. government (tags)
"It's an utterly shameless act of collaboration of the Arroyo regime and the U.S. government." This was the statement of Myrla Baldonado, spokesperson of Task Force Subic Rape (TFSR) on the stealthy transfer of custody of Daniel Smith from the Makati City Jail to the U.S. Embassy.
ON SMITH CUSTODY RULING (tags)
News sources today reported that the ruling of Makati trial court Judge Benjamin Pozon for convicted US Marine Daniel Smith to remain at the Makati City Jail “reflects a misunderstanding of Philippine obligations under the terms of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) during judicial proceedings,” the United States embassy said Wednesday. The embassy statement, issued a few hours after Pozon’s ruling, reiterated the American position that Smith, being a member of the US military, should remain in US custody pending final judicial proceedings -- including the appeal of the 40-year sentence on Smith for raping a Filipina last year -- of the case.
VERDICT HAILED BUT OTHERS "HALF-SATISFIED" (tags)
Women's groups celebrated their court victory while lawmakers and Malacañang hailed the conviction yesterday of a US Marine and the acquittal of his co-accused on rape charges. But there were ordinary people who were not fully satisfied with the verdict of the Makati Regional Trial Court, which convicted US Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith and acquitted three other Marines.