Sc Orders Smith Placed Under Rp Custody

[Mr Lee]

Here is just a little of the disdain for the US that I was writing about....... The upper class in the Philippines does not give a hoot about the poor or the fact that the US is helping them to find and eliminate terrorists..... All the good of the whole is forgotten because one soldier may have done wrong.... In this article the writer alludes to the fact that Filipinos would be charged in the US, while taking out of context the fact that a citizen is to be treated differently than a soldier who is there to help their country...... If we are to interpret and speculate on what the meaning of this writer is and read between the lines, we all need to pull out of the Philippines and stop spending our US or other foreign countries money here..... I love the average Filipino and the country as a whole, but if it were not for my wife's love of her country and her family, I would have to think long and hard about never returning and quite possibly putting myself in a position of being put in jail for life, if someone were to accuse me of rape and I were to be tried under this hostile political environment.But I do agree with the writer and the US should pull all it troops out and maybe only come back when begged for help. http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20090213com1.html"Therefore, any frigging American soldier or for that matter, any foreign soldier participating in the joint military exercises in the country can rape, maul and kill any Filipino after military exercise hours and merely say that, despite the SC ruling, the Arroyo government is so helpless that it cannot uphold the ruling of the highest court in the land? But isnt that also saying that the US interpretation of our laws is superior to the interpretation of the sovereign countrys highest court of the land?If the US government refuses to comply, this is clearly an insult to the Filipino nation. The least this American puppet government, to keep its face, if not the Filipinos pride, is to cancel the Visiting Forces Agreement. The US can pull out all its troops in the joint military exercise. And good riddance!"

[Mr Lee]

And when they need help, they ask and then if there is a consequence, they are quick to insult those that help them and blame the whole rather than the individual.They cannot have it both ways and the good must outweigh the bad IMO. Senator: RP needs US military help to rescue Red Cross captiveshttp://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/regions/...-cross-captives

[TheMason]

You say you followed the whole story but there was about 30 versions of them,because she went to a bar with them her account is wrong and can not be believed? He was a US service man and in the eyes of all Americans he was set up and not guilty.I'm not sure if you were just raped if putting your pants on the correct way would be the foremost thing on your mind,maybe some other drunk put them on her.It is common knowledge that those in uniform feel they have more rights when in a foreign country and feel superior and think they can do as they like.From my following of the story he is guilty as charged.

Wow, I'm not sure which of your two statements shows a greater degree of anti-American bigotry. Is it where you draw the conclusion that all Americans think Smith is innocent simply because we're all Americans, or is it the statement you make that servicemen in a foreign country think they are superior to the locals? As you say, there are 30 different versions of what happened, but if anyone believes a version other than yours (Smith is guilty) it's due to Americans blindly sticking together, not evaluating all the circumstances and coming to a different conclusion. Apparently you don't think intelligent people can look at the Smith case and possibly disagree with your conclusion. And people say Americans are arrogant.And your comment about servicemen, does that apply to all servicemen? I'm not sure if your 'common knowledge' applies specifically to Americans or if you hold all servicemen, including Aussies, in the same low regard.All you have to do is look at Smith's sentence to figure out he was not treated fairly. Forty years for rape? Are you kidding me? How many other rapists are even convicted, let alone given a 40 y ear sentence? The guys that murdered Ninoy Aquino only got 25 year sentences. Yet Smith got 40 years. There is no doubt that the sentence handed out is disproportionate to the crime. The harsh sentence points to other influences, namely politics and anti-American sentiment, coming in to play. As for the SC ruling, they did NOT say that Smith has to be transferred. The decision said the RP govt. must renegotiate with the US to have him transferred. It was classic Filipino double speak. They did not declare that the VFA itself was unconstitutional, they just said the agreements the govt. negotiated in accordance with the VFA were unconstitutional. If the RP wants to rescind either the VFA or the specific agreement regarding Smith's detention that is their right, but I don't think the US will or should agree to apply the rescission retroactively.

[retired]

Lee, the woman who wrote that cometary you referenced if just plainly an anti-American bigot. There are many complicated issues in this mess, but she says this in the end.

An American soldier raped a Japanese and was held by the Japanese police. It is the Japanese authorities that have custody of this rapist. If Japan can do this, why not the Philippine government? Why is there a different US interpretation for the same crime in Japan, and in the Philippines?

I submit that the difference is although Japan/Okinawa exhibits some anti-American sentiment, they are still predominantly a country with honor and honesty. They will treat the situation justly I think. Here, there is no way that will happen. This place is ludicrous when it come to justice, much less for a foreigner.I don't know if the dude is guilty or not, but he deserves a fair trial/appeal and a sentence that fits the crime if found guilty. The US embassy knows he is being railroaded and is rightfully protecting it's citizen.http://www.cebu-philippines.net/daniel-smith-rape-trial.htmlI think this person has it summed up pretty well.http://www.cebu-philippines.net/daniel-smith-rape-trial.html Edited February 13, 2009 by retired

[Jollygoodfellow]

You say you followed the whole story but there was about 30 versions of them,because she went to a bar with them her account is wrong and can not be believed? He was a US service man and in the eyes of all Americans he was set up and not guilty.I'm not sure if you were just raped if putting your pants on the correct way would be the foremost thing on your mind,maybe some other drunk put them on her.It is common knowledge that those in uniform feel they have more rights when in a foreign country and feel superior and think they can do as they like.From my following of the story he is guilty as charged.

Wow, I'm not sure which of your two statements shows a greater degree of anti-American bigotry. Is it where you draw the conclusion that all Americans think Smith is innocent simply because we're all Americans, or is it the statement you make that servicemen in a foreign country think they are superior to the locals? As you say, there are 30 different versions of what happened, but if anyone believes a version other than yours (Smith is guilty) it's due to Americans blindly sticking together, not evaluating all the circumstances and coming to a different conclusion. Apparently you don't think intelligent people can look at the Smith case and possibly disagree with your conclusion. And people say Americans are arrogant.And your comment about servicemen, does that apply to all servicemen? I'm not sure if your 'common knowledge' applies specifically to Americans or if you hold all servicemen, including Aussies, in the same low regard.All you have to do is look at Smith's sentence to figure out he was not treated fairly. Forty years for rape? Are you kidding me? How many other rapists are even convicted, let alone given a 40 y ear sentence? The guys that murdered Ninoy Aquino only got 25 year sentences. Yet Smith got 40 years. There is no doubt that the sentence handed out is disproportionate to the crime. The harsh sentence points to other influences, namely politics and anti-American sentiment, coming in to play. As for the SC ruling, they did NOT say that Smith has to be transferred. The decision said the RP govt. must renegotiate with the US to have him transferred. It was classic Filipino double speak. They did not declare that the VFA itself was unconstitutional, they just said the agreements the govt. negotiated in accordance with the VFA were unconstitutional. If the RP wants to rescind either the VFA or the specific agreement regarding Smith's detention that is their right, but I don't think the US will or should agree to apply the rescission retroactively.

Hmm a bit sensitive are we?This is a typical response on a forum where someone will make a comment then another will make an acusation of being anti American.Just for your information I am not anti American or anti much of anything, therefor don't bother trying to accuse me of being so.Also I said nothing about service men being held in low regard by myself.

[Mr Lee]

I can tell you guys that Tom Boss Man is not anti American, or he would never have chosen a few of us Americans as mods and besides that, I can tell by the conversations we have behind the scenes. Everyone has their opinions about what happened when they read a story and only those who were actually there, know the whole truth and even they see things differently.TheMason and Mike both see it the way I see it, a 40 year sentence shows who is really prejudice in the matter.

Edited February 13, 2009 by Mr. Lee

[Mr Lee]

Lee, the woman who wrote that cometary you referenced if just plainly an anti-American bigot. There are many complicated issues in this mess, but she says this in the end.

An American soldier raped a Japanese and was held by the Japanese police. It is the Japanese authorities that have custody of this rapist. If Japan can do this, why not the Philippine government? Why is there a different US interpretation for the same crime in Japan, and in the Philippines?

I submit that the difference is although Japan/Okinawa exhibits some anti-American sentiment, they are still predominantly a country with honor and honesty. They will treat the situation justly I think. Here, there is no way that will happen. This place is ludicrous when it come to justice, much less for a foreigner.I don't know if the dude is guilty or not, but he deserves a fair trial/appeal and a sentence that fits the crime if found guilty. The US embassy knows he is being railroaded and is rightfully protecting it's citizen.http://www.cebu-philippines.net/daniel-smith-rape-trial.htmlI think this person has it summed up pretty well.http://www.cebu-philippines.net/daniel-smith-rape-trial.html

Thanks Alan, that pretty much says it like I saw it from following what happened in all the stories both in the US and in the Philippines. Edited February 14, 2009 by Mr. Lee

[tom_shor]

I will say this. A group of Filipinas I talked with here who saw the news reports on this incident are of the opinion she was a GRO and the cause of this was the Marines throwing her out of the van partially dressed thus embarasing her. Not my words theirs. They were particularily suspicious of her stament she was there on vacation since she had no job and her family was not wealthy. I wasn't there and I will say that no matter what the girls occupation no one has the right to rape her. However initally at least the filipino drivers statement differed from hers considerably. I never heard what he actually said in court about what happened but he was there as well and sober where apparently everyone else involved was drunk. I have seen a number of these types of incidents over the years and while some really were rapes and in one case murder the majority have been either for money or because the accusing party felt wronged or insulted.

[retired]

Lee, the woman who wrote that cometary you referenced if just plainly an anti-American bigot. There are many complicated issues in this mess, but she says this in the end.

An American soldier raped a Japanese and was held by the Japanese police. It is the Japanese authorities that have custody of this rapist. If Japan can do this, why not the Philippine government? Why is there a different US interpretation for the same crime in Japan, and in the Philippines?

I submit that the difference is although Japan/Okinawa exhibits some anti-American sentiment, they are still predominantly a country with honor and honesty. They will treat the situation justly I think. Here, there is no way that will happen. This place is ludicrous when it come to justice, much less for a foreigner.I don't know if the dude is guilty or not, but he deserves a fair trial/appeal and a sentence that fits the crime if found guilty. The US embassy knows he is being railroaded and is rightfully protecting it's citizen.http://www.cebu-philippines.net/daniel-smith-rape-trial.htmlI think this person has it summed up pretty well.http://www.cebu-philippines.net/daniel-smith-rape-trial.html

Thanks Alan, that pretty much says it like I saw it from following what happened in all the stories both in the US and in the Philippines.

Just to clear up a possible missunderstanding . The post you reference was made from my desktop/account but in fact was not made by me so i don't deserve the credit . It was in fact made by a mutual friend of ours who happens to be here in CDO at this time , Bob of Bob and Che . :540:

[tom_shor]

Ah Ha. A stelth poster. :540: