THE ISSUE OF THE SIX US SERVICEMEN ACCUSED OF RAPE

DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
P R E S S S T A T E M E N T 2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines Tel. No. 834-4000 www.dfa.gov.ph

THE ISSUE OF THE SIX US SERVICEMEN ACCUSED OF RAPE
Statement of the Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs Honorable Rafael E. Seguis
7 November 2005

The Department of Foreign Affairs will continue to see to it that justice is done in accordance with our laws and treaty obligations, therefore we have taken the following courses of action:

We have asked the Department of Justice to submit a subpoena to the DFA to serve as formal notice.

VFACOM Undersecretary Zosimo M. Paredes has been instructed to proceed to Olongapo City to check on the six accused US military personnel and to discuss the issue of providing assistance to the rape victim as provided for by R.A. 8505 with Acting Secretary Lualhati S. Pablo of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The Department was able to receive the reassurance of the United States Embassy that the six soldiers are still in the Philippines under their custody.

The Department has tasked the Office of Legal Affairs Executive Director Ed Malaya, noted legal luminary, to help in the judicial proceedings”.

END

/jay