The Philippines has many ‘Nicoles’

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines has many “Nicoles," but only Suzette Nicolas was served justice when the Makati Regional Trial Court convicted Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith of rape on December 4, 2006. From 1981 to 1988, when the US military bases were in the Philippines, 3,274 cases of abuse of women and children were filed against US servicemen in Subic and Clark. However, not one of the US servicemen was convicted. Data from the Olongapo City prosecutor's office showed that during the same period, cases of rape and sexual abuse involving children ages 11 to 16 were filed against US servicemen. Another 82 cases of sexual abuse involving young women were also recorded. All of these cases were dismissed. Ninety-seven of these cases, in which 15 children were involved, were filed by the non-government Bikolana Gabriela against American soldiers in Clark and Subic. Smith was the first-ever American military personnel who was convicted of committing a crime on Philippine soil since the establishment of the US military bases in Subic, Zambales and Clark in Angeles, Pampanga and the passage of the Visiting Forces Agreement in 1999. - GMANews.TV