US verdict on 3 sailors known today

The real test of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) comes today.

After being forgiven by their victim from Cebu, three American sailors charged in court after mauling a Filipino taxi driver last month will now receive their punishment from the United States government.

The local VFA Commission said it has been assured by US officials that Petty Officers Michael Keyes, Johnny Earl Lowery Jr. and Shannon Towers will be punished accordingly.

The punishment is expected to be announced today.

The three sailors were charged with beating up taxi driver Marcelo Batestil in Cebu last March 12 due to their refusal to pay an agreed fare. After being allowed to go home by a Cebu judge, they returned early this month to face the charges.

However, during the first hearing of the case, the three issued a public apology and offered Batestil P200,000 in monetary aid to settle the case.

Batestil refused the money and instead donated it to a Cebu-based foundation. The public apology, though, prompted him to formally withdraw the charges.

In a statement after withdrawing the charges, Batestil said he was moved by the sailors' act of returning to the country to be tried in court. He said the public apology was enough for him to forgive.

The Philippine government has officially waived its jurisdiction over the case of the three sailors who were all crewmembers of the US ship Blue Ridge.

The Department of Foreign Affairs explained that the waiver was based on article 5, section 3 of the VFA which the Philippine Senate ratified last May.

The VFA allows the resumption of large-scale RP-US military exercises in the country and provides the guidelines for such activities.

Under article 5, section 3, the Philippines agreed that it would waive its primary right to exercise jurisdiction in cases involving American troops, except in those that are of particular importance to the Filipino people.

US Ambassador Thomas Hubbard said there was no justification for the actions of the three sailors even though they claimed that they were challenged by the taxi driver to a fistfight.

He assured that the three Navy men will be meted appropriate punishment by the US government.