Posted on 12/27/2005 8:10:55 AM PST by DJ Taylor
I would agree with your assesment except for one thing:
"Smith and the others, along with the woman, had been drinking at a bar and were rushing back to the USS Essex to beat a curfew, he said."
Why would the woman be going back to the boat if she was a bargirl. Notice there is no mention of the girl's nationality.
I'm thinking there's more to the story.
Do you hope they're cleared if they are,in fact,guilty of a genuine rape?
Why would the Philippines be upset over Marines raping a woman if she wasn't one of theirs?
This is an "Oh-Po" scam that is as old as Oh-Po itself.
Hostetute, (never call her anything else) goes "out" with GI.
Evening ends, hostetute goes to her friend at the constabulary. Friend files charges. Prosecutor may or may not be in on the take.
Result: LEGAL HOLD.
What happens is this. Charges are filed and sailor or marine in question is put on "legal hold", meaning that he cannot leave the country or, in days gone by, the base.
The trial just never seems to happen. Typically there is one delay after another delay and a further delay, and then when everything is all set, another delay.
The idea is to NOT go to trial. By now, said sailor or marine has been on legal hold for about a year and a half.
The prosecution puts out a feeler. The "victim" just wants to "forget" about this, IF the perp makes her life "right" with x number of dollars.
What? Extortion you say? Your trial has now been postponed for another year just because you insulted our "system". That's right, you stay on legal hold till we reschedule you.
Oh, you want to go home? Now let's see about this comfort money......
When I was stationed at Subic, we had hundreds of guys on "legal hold"
Most got smart quick and settled up, went on with their lives. Poorer but smarter.
Hope these guys get a price quote quick.
"Why would the woman be going back to the boat if she was a bargirl."
In that town, you "check out" your girl for the night. You pay the "bar fine" and she is free to go with you all night.
Not that I've ever done it, and not that there's anything wrong with it, but haven't you ever bought a bargirl out of a bar in the far east?
What sailors?
Love the standard disclaimers. I spent about 10 years in Westpac and have had ample opportunity to both sample and observe the local cultures.
One thing I never did (or heard of) was buy an LBFM out of the bar when I'm heading back to the boat to make curfew.
A while back they had a midnite to four curfew in Subic and people would hole up in a room during the four hours; this article states otherwise.
I know setups happen there; just wondering at the story.
Olongapo was notorious for its hookers and their antibiotic-resistant STDs.
I have strong doubts that she was raped - I think she didn't get paid what she thought she was worth.
If she was a civilian of any nationality they would have juristiction.
I tend to agree. I posted this story a few weeks back and after reading the details and comments (your input included), it was probably a set-up either for cash or pro-terrorism.
Rape in the PI can be charged when a customer doesn't pay, pays only a part of the agreed upon price or if the girl is jealous.
Yep, I've thought that from the first time I heard about this. Good luck to the four Marines though, in this PC world we live in where women can do no wrong, I'm afraid they are screwed before they even have a trial. It doesn't make any difference that they're in the military either; the military is getting more and more PC all the time to. They'll be hung out to dry I'm sure.
Sorry, I meant marines. Believe it or not, no insult intended.
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