A 'sacrificial lamb' for a military pact
By Stella Gonzales
MANILA - Nicole, the Filipina who accused a United States serviceman of raping her in 2005, had become a rallying point for a wide coalition of left-wing organizations in the Philippines opposed to a controversial military pact which governs the conduct of US troops in the country.
Now a new affidavit from her, which effectively clears Smith, has led observers to accuse the US government of using her as a pawn to dampen widespread public resentment towards the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and the presence of US troops in the country.
Joms Salvador, spokesperson of the women's group Gabriela, told Inter Press Service it was suspicious that Nicole's recantation was released after US President Barack Obama placed a phone call to President Gloria Arroyo on March 14, during which the two leaders reportedly discussed various matters, including the VFA.
"It was too smoothly executed ... one cannot believe that [Obama's] call had nothing to do with what happened," Salvador said.
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More at Asia Times Online.
As if the male dominated misogynist Roman Catholic culture of the Philippines was not bad enough. Now GMA's administration helps validate the idea that women causally declare rape to cover up their slutty behavior. "Nicole" has now been abused twice, once by her Marine assailant and then once more by the very government that was supposed to protect her.
If one wants to know why the Philippines is such a political, social, spiritual and economic basket case this is prime example why. The PI is chock a block full of servile, corrupt, incompetent and detached politicians like Maria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. She is but one example of an American Educated elite that genuflects to Washington's every whim no matter how destructive to ordinary Filipino's dignity. She is willing to sweep a vile crime under the rug and surrender Filipino sovereignty to Big Uncle Sam, she is prostituting the honor of her country mainly out of reflex.
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