Wednesday, January 03, 2007

GMA Defends Transfer Of Convicted Marine To US Custody

MANILA - President Gloria Arroyo said convicted rapist Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith was transferred to the custody of the US embassy to avert the further erosion of the country’s strategic relations with the US over the non-compliance by the Philippine government of its treaty obligation under the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

The President said Smith’s transfer to the custody of US authorities "will not affect the substantive issues at bar, nor impede justice and the rule of law."

Convicted by the Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) for raping a 23-year old Filipino and sentenced to life imprisonment, Smith has appealed his conviction.

President Arroyo said she is prepared to meet all legal challenges to the government action on the Smith case, and "we are confident that its legitimacy and wisdom will be upheld."

“This difficult decision was made and taken with only the best interest of the Philippines in mind. I therefore ask all Filipinos to stand by it and to stand behind our alliance with the United States to fight terror and poverty,” the President said in a statement.

“I wish to appeal for understanding from the people that this action will not affect the substantive issues at bar, nor impede justice and the rule of law.”

“The government had to take this action in order to forestall the further deterioration in our strategic relationship with the United States, which was being rapidly eroded by our non-compliance with the Visiting Forces Agreement,” she said.

She said this difficult decision was made and taken with only the best of the Philippines in mind.

“The Executive Branch is prepared to face legal challenges to this decision and we are confident that its legitimacy and wisdom will be upheld.”

“I therefore ask all Filipinos to stand by it and to stand behind our alliance with the United States to fight terror and poverty,” the President said.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Dificult decision, but it was the right decision.