“The allegations of corruption and kickbacks involving high-ranking military officers merit no less than a serious and immediate investigation. Instead of adversely criticizing Navy Lieutenant Senior Grade Nancy Gadian’s character, the proper authorities should act on the whistleblower’s exposé and all other officials involved in this case should be held accountable.” read more »
Assistant Minority Leader and Gabriela Women’s Party Rep.Liza Maza today expressed alarm that US troops entering the Philippines would again use the US-RP VFA this time as a convenient excuse to be exempted from quarantine inspection despite the alert released by the World Health Organization declaring that the A (H1N1) virus outbreak has escalated to a “public-health emergency of international concern”. read more »
“US troops who patronize prostituted women are liable under Philippine laws. This should be immediately investigated and US servicemen should be prosecuted.” read more »
"History and recent experience should have taught us that the presence of US troops in the country has been exploiting our women," said Gabriela solon Luzviminda Ilagan, citing reports on US soldiers “being given prostituted women for leisure in Bicol.” read more »
“The US-RP Visiting Forces Agreement is the very blueprint of a warmonger that is the United States in the Philippines. The Arroyo administration is hell-bent in embracing this lopsided agreement, putting the lives of Filipino women and children in constant peril.” read more »
Gabriela Women's Party-list Representative Luzviminda Ilagan called to stop putting the blame on Nicole with her recantation on the rape case against Daniel Smith who was convicted in December 2006, saying that Nicole-bashing could not conceal the loopholes of the Visiting Forces Agreement and the failure of the Philippine justice system to carry out the terms of the conviction. read more »
Reporting from Manila -- Women's rights activists accused U.S. and Philippine authorities Wednesday of conspiring to free a U.S. Marine convicted of rape after his alleged victim recanted her assault claims and reportedly moved to the United States. read more »
Lawmakers on Wednesday expressed shock over the recantation of Subicrape victim "Nicole", with one party-list congresswoman saying that theyoung Filipina would be used as a scapegoat to save a controversialdefense treaty between the Philippines and the United States.
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“The termination of Atty. Ursua’s services as Nicole’s counsel is immaterial to this criminal case. Nicole has done her part in filing the case and testifying versus Smith. The burden now in seeing to it that full justice is served lies in the hands of President Arroyo. She should assert Philippine custody of Smith and she is the one who should be blamed not Nicole if and when Smith continues to get away with the crime.” read more »
“Malacañang’s pact with the US government reeks of renewed subservience, docility and sell-out to US interests by its so called ‘compromise pact’ on the custody of Daniel smith. As long as the US-RP VFA is in force, the compromise of our rights as a sovereign nation is wont to be duplicated over and over again”. read more »
