Subic Rape Case FX on US Philippine relations

I hope our nurses here dont get affected by some lady who claims she's been raped by some US Marine! your view on tis?

from People's Daily Online -- Rape case has difficult effect on Philippine-U.S. relations: U.S. ambassador

Last year's rape case involving four U.S. Marines had a "difficult" and "emotional" effect on Philippine-U.S. relations, U.S. ambassador Kristie Kenney said here Tuesday.

The U.S. government remains focused on seeing that justice is served, and working with the Philippine authorities to make sure the U.S. lives up to its obligations, Kenney said in an interniew with Philippine radio reporters.

"The situation with the Marines is a difficult one and an emotional one and I understand that," she said.

Meanwhile, the ambassador said that the bilateral relationship between the two countries is still strong and special.

However, Kenney contested calls from Philippine public and lawmakers for the abolishment of the Visiting Forces Agreement, which governs the conduct of visiting U.S. soldiers in joint military exercises.

"From my perspective I'm very happy that we have that kind of agreement that allows us to very quickly respond when the Philippine people need us to do so," she said, adding that a hospital ship of the U.S. Navy will arrive in May to give free medical treatment to indigent Filipinos.

Four U.S. Marines remain in the Philippines though under U.S. embassy's custody, after they were accused and charged for raping a Filipina in Subic last November. The first formal court trial has been delayed for many times and the case itself was transfered last month from one local court to another.

That news is a bit old. There was already a decision before Xmas. The 3 Marines are already back in Okinawa, Japan for more than a month now and the other one is already in the US Embassy pending the case. The Philippine Court of Appeals (CA) had also upheld the decision to transfer the Marine to the US Embassy until all legalities are finally settled.

The 'Balikatan" or Military exercises will also push through for 2007 after the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) was upheld when the Marine was finally allowed to be transferred to the US Emabassy.

And as you've said there will be no affects re: deployment of nurses to the U.S. The case has nothing to do whatsoever re: nurses.

a friend of mine and me had some discussions today, and said that taking up nursing is risky right now specially with the Subic rape case issues, what are your views on this?

IMO, this subic rape case issue won't harm the opportunity of Filipino nurses since the government is doing its best to keep Fil-am relations healthy. I just hope its going to end with a good note soon...

Dont flame me for asking OK?

This rape case has nothing to do with Filipino nurses deployment to the US. Remember in 1991, the Philippine Senate rejected an extention of the base treaty which led to the American pull out from their bases in the Philippines, still nurses were continuing being hired by American employers.

Well, our government does not know how to negotiate with the Americans, we only got peanuts from the Americans while Pakistan got billions of dollars, their debts written off, when they cooperate in the war on terror. Off topic....

This rape case has nothing to do with Filipino nurses deployment to the US. Remember in 1991, the Philippine Senate rejected an extention of the base treaty which led to the American pull out from their bases in the Philippines, still nurses were continuing being hired by American employers.

Well, our government does not know how to negotiate with the Americans, we only got peanuts from the Americans while Pakistan got billions of dollars, their debts written off, when they cooperate in the war on terror. Off topic....

Absolutely! No effect whatsoever!

good to hear that...thanks all