Quote:MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE) The Filipina who was raped by a US Marine and who fought to have him convicted and jailed left for the US “for good,” her lawyer revealed Tuesday at the launching of the “Junk VFA Movement.”

Evelyn Ursua also said that her client, who was given the name “Nicole,” also terminated her services.

Quoting “Nicole’s” mother, Ursua said her client left for the US last week and would stay there “for good.”

Ursua said “Nicole’s” mother also explained the reason behind the termination of her services, saying her daughter and the family were “tired of the case and do not want anymore to be bothered by it because 'there is no justice in the Philippines.'"

Ursua has been “Nicole’s” counsel since February 2006, a year after the Filipina accused Lance Corporal Daniel Smith of raping her in Subic, a former American military facility.

Smith was convicted in 2007 and sentenced to up to 40 years in prison. But his detention at the US embassy has sparked controversy and gave rise to calls for the abrogation of the Visiting Forces Agreement, which the US government has cited in justifying its action.

The VFA governs the conduct of US and Filipino troops in joint exercises dubbed “Balikatan” (shoulder-to-shoulder).

Ursua said “Nicole’s” mother gave her a letter signed by her client informing her that her services were no longer needed and that she wanted "all other cases arising from or related" to the rape case dropped.

Ursua said she tried to call “Nicole” but was inaccessible.

Ursua said she could not confirm the veracity of the contents of the letter, which the lawyer said, also thanked her "for all the time and effort that you have devoted in the prosecution of the case."

"While I have ceased to be Nicole's lawyer, I, as a citizen who loves this country, remain committed to the cause of obtaining justice in Nicole's case and putting an end to the iniquitous Visiting Forces Agreement," said Ursua.

"The 'Nicole' that and the other lawyers represented was beyond the woman that Nicole and her family thought she was. 'Nicole' is every Filipino woman who was and will be raped by American soldiers. ‘Nicole’ can happen again. And so the fight against the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the presence of US troops in the country must continue," Ursua said.

In a press conference, Senator Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal said that “perhaps there was a deal [that was] too good to refuse,” reacting to “Nicole's” decision to terminate her lawyer's services.

Quote:Ursua said Nicole and her family were “tired of the case.”

“They do not want to be bothered by it anymore because, they said, ‘there is no justice in the Philippines,’” she said.

Asked about speculation on why Nicole had chosen to leave, Ursua said: “As a lawyer, I have to respect the decision. The others can say their speculations; I cannot.”

Renato Reyes Jr., secretary general of the militant group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), raised the suspicion that the US government had pressured Nicole, her family and the Philippine government into arriving at the decision.

“One can’t help but speculate that the US was really moving to pressure them,” Reyes said in an interview.

“What the family said — that there is no justice in the Philippines — is a slap on the face of Gloria President Macapagal-Arroyo. It is a clear statement that [the government] failed to give justice, especially with the issue of custody over Smith.”

Reyes also said it was not farfetched that the US and Philippine governments were working to ensure that the VFA would remain in effect.

He cited such purported signals as US President Barack Obama’s telephone call to Ms Arroyo on Saturday and Ursua’s removal as Nicole’s lawyer.

(03-18-2009, 09:01 AM)Twin-Skies Wrote: @Grim:

(03-18-2009, 03:23 PM)NiX Wrote: May puting boyfriend daw siyang nasa US. Kaya siya umalis na.