'Nicole' family terminates services of lawyer - group

MANILA, Philippines - The family of Subic rape victim "Nicole" has virtually given up hope on their case against Lance Corporal Daniel Smith and has terminated the services of lawyer Evalyn Ursua , an official of a militant group said Tuesday. In a telephone interview with GMANews.TV, Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said the termination of Ursua's legal services for "Nicole," announced Tuesday during the launch of the Junk VFA Movement, took effect on Monday. Reyes quoted Ursua as saying the family of "Nicole" was losing hope because there was "no justice" in the country. "According to Attorney Ursua, pagod na sila [family] at walang hustisya sa Pilipinas [According to Attorney Ursua, they are tired and there is no justice in the Philippines]," Reyes said. Calls by GMANews.TV to the mobile phone of Ursua were not answered. Last Monday, Ursua said "Nicole" felt that the Philippine government "totally sided" with Smith when President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and US President Barack Obama affirmed the two country's commitment to each other - particularly the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) - through a phone call. Reyes said the Philippine and US governments are to blame for the rape victim's hopelessness, even as he said groups and individuals calling for the abrogation of the VFA respect the decision of "Nicole." "Everyone believes na parang while they respect the decisions of 'Nicole,' people feel that the Arroyo government, the US government, are to blame for what happened," he said. Reyes added that they believe the US is "applying pressure on the family and the Philippine government to get a workable compromise in favor of the US." "Nicole" accused Smith and three other US servicemen of raping her in November 2005, and a Makati Regional Trial Court branch convicted Smith guilty of rape. Smith is currently detained at the US Embassy as he awaits the Court of Appeals' ruling on his appeal. Even though the Supreme Court has ruled that he should be detained in a local jail, he has still not been transferred pending an agreement between the Department of Foreign Affairs and the US Embassy. - GMANews.TV