Women from Akbayan (Citizens Action Party) converged at the Welcome Rotonda today joining nationwide protests for the speedy resolution of the Subic rape case and to call for justice for Nicole.

"The manner in which the Philippine government handled the Subic rape case has been nothing short of incompetent,: said Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros. "It creates the fear that the government has sold out the case in exchange for continued US beneficence in terms of military aid."

"Instead of a vigorous and pursuit of the case we have instead a public feud between the victim and the public prosecutors," said Hontiveros, "Instead of privacy and the interestd of Nicole as the paramaount concern we have government inaction on fake cds of video scandals being peddled in Quiapo," added Hontiveros.

"For one Nicole there are thousands of other similary situated girls and women who face the danger and hazard of emotional trauma, physical abuse and alienation from teh violence inflicted on them, of which rape is but one example," added Hontiveros. "It is but fitting to support Nicole in her fight to encourage more and more victims to come out in the open and force society to confront its prejudices and misconceptions about rape," she added.

"Let justice be served in a manner most befitting the merits of the case," added Akbayan Rep. Etta Rosales. "But at all times, and beyond the Subic rape case it is Philippine integrity and sovereignty that must underline government response," she said.

"Let this case be a wake up call in redefining and charting RP-US relations from this point on," added Rosales, "because clearly, the language of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) puts us at the losing end in cases like where US personnel are afforded means to escape the full force of our domestic laws - they are ensconced in the US embassy when they should be under Philippine authorities, guilty or not," she said.

"Unless the government restudies carefully the way it relates with the US then the Subic rape case, no matter how it turns out would not have served its higher purpose and it would be like trampling on the rights of Nicole and others like her all over again," said Rosales.

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