December 4, 2007

The League of Filipino Students (LFS) today again held a protest action in front of the US embassy, to mark the 1-year anniversary of the promulgation of the guilty verdict upon US soldier Lance Corporal Daniel Smith for raping a 23-year old Filipina in Subic.

The LFS warned that unless “justice is served” and Smith faces his sentence and gets turned over to RP jails, more cases of rape and other crimes will be done in countries with US military presence. This, in light of another gang-rape case involving US marines in Japan October this year.

“Last October 14, 2007, a Japanese girl was reportedly gang-raped in Iwakuni base in Japan. The US government now refuses to surrender their soldiers to face charges, apparently ‘learning their lesson’ from the Subic Rape case. The US military and is becoming more arrogant in their policy to not submit to local laws and courts, ” said Crisostomo.

LFS members trooped to the US embassy last Sunday and slammed the US embassy seal with their fists and a red brick, catching policemen and embassy security persons off-guard.

“Daniel Smith should be turned over to Philippine custody and should face his sentence. This case is not only concerns the Philippines but countries with US military presence all over the world as well. We must uphold our sovereignty and our laws, and make a statement against US military atrocities across the globe,” Crisostomo said. #