Roxas to DFA: Act swiftly to seek justice on rape case in Japan

Senator Mar Roxas called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to “act swiftly” in ascertaining the facts behind a reported rape incident involving a United States Army serviceman and a Filipina victim.

“Ensure protection of and assistance to the reported Filipina victim, and see that speedy justice is served,” he urged.

The Liberal Party President noted that not too long ago, in November 2005, the Philippine government encountered serious controversy over the custody of now convicted rapist US Marine Daniel Smith, to the dismay of the victim’s family and the public.

“If legal difficulties arose in a rape committed in Philippine soil, we should learn our lesson and be better prepared in protecting our own national in a foreign country, in a foreign court, under foreign laws,” Roxas said.

It was reported that the latest rape incident was committed in Okinawa sometime in the middle of February, and that the city’s police were seeking an arrest warrant for the US soldier who allegedly committed the crime.

Roxas said the Philippine government should also double-check information on the incident provided by the US government, which may be over zealously shielding one of its soldiers from the reach of justice.

“We have seen that happen here, and our DFA should be able to discern whether we’re being offered a sanitized version of events,” he said.