They took away my dignity, Nicole tells court

A 22-year-old Filipina told the Makati City regional trial court yesterday that her life and that of her family’s have been "destroyed" after she was allegedly raped by four US Marines at Subic Freeport Zone in Zambales ast year.

Ending her testimony, the woman known only as "Nicole," said she found it hard to sleep at night, and that if she ever gets to sleep, she suffers a nightmare about the rape and wakes up with a dizzying headache.

"They took my dignity, and they were even cheering as if they were watching a live show," she said, referring to how Lance Corporal Daniel Smith allegedly raped her inside a Starex van, while Lance Corporals Dominic Duplantis, Keith Silkwood, and Staff Sergeant Chad Carpentier were supposed to have cheered on.

In tears almost the whole time, Nicole again told the court how she, her mother, brothers, her stepsister, and her youngest sibling have suffered sleepless nights and unimaginable suffering because of what had happened.

"They treated me like a pig," she said. "I have forgotten to take care of myself, I have become lazy."

Nicole said she wanted to work again but is afraid of what people would say when they learn who she is.

"Sobra-sobra ang ginawa nila sa akin," she said before letting out more tears that prompted Judge Benjamin Pozon to call for a recess.

When private prosecutor Evalyn Ursua asked her during direct examination how she feels about herself, Nicole became very emotional.

"I often think that I should have died," she said.

When the hearing resumed, Nicole told the court that she does not have the courage to return to her hometown because she is afraid of how people would treat her.

"I don’t want them to see me anymore, I don’t want to go back," she said.

Ursua asked Nicole how her family has been affected by the alleged rape and the subsequent case in court.

"(My mom) is going through so much difficulty that she couldn’t work anymore, couldn’t sleep, and has resigned from her job as a civilian supervisor of the Philippine Navy," she said.

Her brothers have been suffering too since one had to stop schooling, one had to stop working for a month, and one kept skipping work just to find time to help in the case, she added.

Nicole said her stepsister was even offered a job, but that she rejected it because she has to help their mother at the family-owned canteen, where she herself used to be the manager.

She is losing P40,000, which she used to earn through her DVD business, not to mention how the canteen is suffering because she is no longer able to manage it, she added.

Nicole said she also lost her boyfriend, who is also a US Marine, and her opportunity to go abroad.

"Galit na galit po ako sa kanila," she said, adding that she was so angry she wanted to kill them. "Gusto ko po silang patayin."

Ursua told The STAR after the hearing that the last part of Nicole’s testimony sought to prove civil liability, including moral damages, exemplary damages and actual damages.

"When there is criminal liability, there is also civil liability," she said. Nicole’s mother will also take the witness stand to further prove actual damages, she added.

Today, Nicole will return to the witness stand for cross-examination.

Defense lawyers are expected to dig deeper into the details of the alleged rape and the incidents before and after the night of Nov. 1, 2005.

Despite heavy rains, the gallery of observers, including mediamen, during yesterday’s proceedings was still jampacked.

Former senator Leticia Ramos-Shahani, sister of former President Fidel Ramos, and anti-crime crusader Teresita Ang-See of the Citizens Action Against Crime attended the hearing.

During the recess, Ang-See shouted at accused Duplantis and Smith for allegedly laughing while Nicole was crying.