Statement - Gabriela condemns Subic rape; demands justice, probe, RP custody of perpetrators

Gabriela Women's Party Representative condemns the rape of a 22-year old woman involving six US servicemen in Subic last November 1. We are also seeking a full report of the incident from the VFA commission.

The perpetrators of this heinous crime must be held accountable at all cost and should not be allowed to leave the country. This is clearly a criminal act and they should be tried in our courts, kept in the custody of Philippine authorities and not by the US embassy.

We express fears of a possible whitewash of the case as we call for utmost vigilance in the conduct of an exhaustive and transparent probe that is independent of US intervention.

We must in all aspects of this case, assert our sovereignty in attaining justice for a Filipino woman that has been violated in our own country. We must not allow full US custody of the perpetrators and ensure that justice is served.

No US serviceman has been incarcerated for any violation that has been committed in the country since joint US-RP military exercises commenced with the approval of the Visiting Forces Agreement.

It has been the practice of the US military to just re-assign or relocate personnel involved in various crimes in the Philippines, and to just financially settle with victims in order to silence them. This makes a mockery of the country's justice system and transgresses on our sovereignty.

Gabriela Women's Party, through Rep. Liza Largoza-Maza, is set to file a resolution to launch an investigation on the incident and the accountability of US military personnel in the Philippines in the context of the conduct of military exercises in the country when Congress opens next week.

Reference:
Kaira Zoe Alburo
Provincial Spokesperson
Gabriela Women's Party