EDITORIAL - Go girl

Two big news stories exploded this week — Mancao tagging Lacson in the Dacer-Corbito murders, and “Nicole” recanting and clearing Daniel Smith of rape. With people already having an idea as to the who’s who in Dacer-Corbito, it was the “Nicole” thing that was more shocking.

“Nicole,” who has identified herself as Suzette Nicolas of Zamboanga City, fired her lawyer, quietly took a P100,000 settlement, and surreptitiously left for the United States to settle there “for good.”

Suzette’s recantation and clearing of Smith was ostensibly done to serve justice to all, as she now says she is no longer sure of the real circumstances prevailing that night of the supposed rape.

But her mother was more instructive. She said there is no justice to be had in the Philippines, obviously referring to the helplessness of the government in dealing with American soldiers accused of crimes. Smith was always under US protection thoughout his ordeal.

Whatever the truth is now, the one fact that is unassailable is that the recantation by Suzette has left many of us in very awkward positions. Filipinos, for instance, may not know whether to be angry or ashamed.

Women’s groups, who went to great lengths fighting for “Nicole” as much for her being a Filipino and a woman as it was for the crime of rape itself, may find themselves flustered on having been “betrayed” by that very same Filipino woman.

Anti-American groups who, short of declaring war on America, threw everything they could at the arrogance and imperialist tendencies of the United States, may feel sick in the stomach on realizing they have been pelting the wrong target.

But as sure as this sordid tale had a beginning, so must it have an end. At the end of the day, wounded feelings and misplaced energies notwithstanding, let it not be said that the woman at the center of the storm did not do what she felt must be done to reclaim her life.

After all the bad aftertaste shall have left all our mouths, the woman still found the strength to move on. And if for that alone, we say to Suzette, or “Nicole,” as we have always known her — go girl, we pray that you may find peace in the anonymity of your new life.