US offer to Cebu taxi driver stays

The financial offer of the United States to Cebu City taxi driver Marcelo Batestil still stands, a US Embassy spokesman said yesterday.

Press Attaché Tom Skipper also assured the Philippine government that the United States will present the three servicemen, who mauled Batestil last Sunday over a fare dispute, when the trial starts next month.

As this developed, Foreign Affairs Secretary Domingo Siazon Jr. said the mauling incident proved that the Visiting Forces Agreement "works."

"This is unprecedented and totally unimaginable. I could not recall any instance in the history of our relations with the United States where a single American serviceman appeared in court," Siazon said.

Skipper said US Navy authorities are not dropping the idea of an out-of-court settlement.

If the taxi driver resists the offer, Skipper said the three servicemen -- Petty Officers Michael Keyes, Johnny Earl Lowery Jr. and Shannon Towers -- would still be presented during the trial in Cebu City. The three had already left on board the USS Blue Ridge.

Siazon welcomed such a move, adding this did not make things difficult for the Philippines after all.

"They readily made the three available whenever their presence was required," he said.

"The Americans went through the process as provided for under the agreement," he added.

Siazon said the US officials never questioned the Philippine jurisdiction over the three who committed an offense while they were off-duty.

Meanwhile, Batestil's lawyer confirmed that he has closed the door to any possibility of an out-of-court settlement.

Gerardo Carillo said his client is not entertaining further negotiations for an amicable settlement.

"There was a written proposal (from the Americans) but we did not act on it. There is no affidavit of desistance and we are not backtracking from the case against the three servicemen," he said.

In a related development, a militant group hailed Batestil's decision to pursue the case to avoid being portrayed as somebody who was making money out of the incident.

"It is good to know there are people who still value the country's dignity," said Vic Balbuena, president of the Mactan Island Lawyer's League and spokesman for the militant Kilusan Para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD).

He added that all eyes are now focused on the Estrada administration on whether it will "adhere to the interests and welfare of the Filipinos or continue to speak for and represent American politico-military and economic interests."