'Vanessa' raped? Show proof first, Palace says

MANILA, Philippines - Was “Vanessa" raped? Malacañang is yet to be convinced that the 22-year-old woman who cried rape was indeed sexually abused by a US serviceman. Deputy presidential spokesperson Lorelei Fajardo said Vanessa’s statement would remain a “speculation" unless she would present solid evidence to substantiate her claim. “This has been reported more than a month after it had happened and there was no police report. There should have been a police investigation. It's a little difficult to establish facts," Fajardo said in a press briefing on Thursday. “We also would like to appeal [to the] media not to make the issue too controversial yet since as of now it's still speculation because there's no case filed yet and you don't have the facts to begin with. We don't even have the name of the person," she added. No medical findings presented Vanessa claimed she was sexually assaulted by a US marine last April 19 at a five-star hotel in Makati City. After informing her family on what happened to her, Vanessa said she went to the police to report the incident and a hospital for a medico-legal examination. But during Thursday’s conference in Quezon City organized by women’s group Gabriela, Vanessa and her camp did not present any medical findings that would substantiate the woman's claim. Her camp also did not identify the hospital where Vanessa was examined. Following earlier reports by news site Pinoy Weekly that Vanessa went to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after the doctor in Makati advised her to proceed to the NBI, GMANews.TV called the agency on Thursday for verification. A source from the NBI, who requested anonymity, said a woman – with the same name as Vanessa’s real name – went to the bureau’s medico-legal officer on April 19 and underwent examination. The source said the woman was the only patient that underwent the examination that day. Just for unloading burden Gabriela Secretary General Emmi de Jesus refused to confirm if the woman who went to the NBI was Vanessa. She said her group decided to limit the information about the incident to protect the victim. Asked if the victim would press charges against her supposed rapist, De Jesus said she was not sure because Vanessa was afraid to suffer the fate of Suzette “Nicole" Nicolas. Nicolas accused US marine Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith of raping her in 2005. However, last April, the Court of Appeals acquitted Smith of the crime. De Jesus said Vanessa had decided to air his grief to the public primarily because she wanted to “unload her burden." She said the strength that Vanessa would get from the public might help her decide on her next move. But as far as Fajardo is concerned, it would be better for Vanessa to press charges against her alleged abuser. “If she would file a case the government would be ready to give her assistance and support her. This rape case is despicable, we should also condemn it, but I think it would be premature for us to say that there is really a case as of now because no case has been filed in court," Fajardo said. - GMANews.TV