Gabriela forum on rape and us militarism

Defense: Military missed soldier's symptoms before rape, killings ...

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News Release 15 May 2009 Reference: Emmi de Jesus, Secretary General, 371-2302 / 0197-3221203 MALACAÑANG'S OFFER OF SUPPORT IS KISS OF DEATH - GABRIELA Malacañang's offer of support to the alleged latest victim of rape by a US Marine was likened to a “kiss of death” by the militant women's group GABRIELA. “After the unconscionable handling of the Arroyo government on the Subic rape case – by being the prime accomplice of the US government to free Smith and spare the Visiting Forces Agreement – Malacañang now has the gall to pretend that it will support Vanessa in her quest for justice. It is disgustingly hypocritical because they have sold out justice in the Subic rape case,” said Emmi de Jesus, GABRIELA secretary general. The women's group said that the a legal action is not a foremost concern at this point regarding the victim, “Vanessa” (not her real name). “She is going through a very difficult process right now. Revealing her ordeal opened a flood gate of renewed anguish but this is part of the process for her to come to terms with the impact of violence committed against her. The utmost priority is to help Vanessa cope,” said Emmi de Jesus, secretary general of GABRIELA. “Vanessa” sought the help of GABRIELA the day after she was raped by a US Marine last April 19 in a 5-star hotel in Makati. She revealed her ordeal during a press conference yesterday. In the light of the recent incidents regarding crimes of US troops, women from various groups and professions gathered in a forum entitled “Rape and US Militarism” this afternoon in Quezon City. The forum aimed to dissect the anatomy of rape vis-a-vis the culture of violence embedded within US militarist policies. “Women continue to be vulnerable and victims go through so much anguish and are discouraged from seeking justice. Meanwhile US troops can freely commit crimes and go unpunished because they are assured that the US and Philippine governments will work to absolve them,” said De Jesus during the forum. “This alarming situation calls for heightened unity and action to protect women and children from US military abuses. Filipino women will not allow this violence to continue,” concluded De Jesus. GABRIELA said they will continue to work with other groups to end US military presence in the country and abrogate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).### Public Information Department GABRIELA National Office (+6... ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Justice for 'Vanessa' and other women victims of abuse by US interventionist soldiers! Communist Party of the Philippines May 15, 2009 The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) joins the Filipino people in condemning another incident of rape of a Filipina by a US soldier, this time inside a five-star hotel in Makati. 'Vanessa,' a 22-year old Filipina student was brutalized and raped last April 19 by a US marine. Vanessa commendably came out yesterday to publicly reveal the violence and violation committed against her. Her revelation further opens the Filipino people's eyes about how Filipino women continue to be victims of abuse by US soldiers stationed in the Philippines. She recounted that she was in a party with a cousin and another friend when the US soldier, a previous acquaintance, invited her to join him and his friends at his hotel room. Realizing later that she was tricked when she saw no one else present, she insisted on leaving. But the US marine slapped her, overpowered her, held her neck in a stranglehold and raped her. Vanessa was later able to escape, assisted by her sister and hotel personnel. The next day, she approached the progressive women's rights group Gabriela and Atty. Evalyn Ursua, who helped her gather the necessary evidence, including the rapist's real name, his picture and a police medico-legal report confirming the rape. Gabriela was able to confirm that the accused was listed in the hotel records as being with the 'Joint US Military Assistance Group (JUSMAG)/Balikatan. ' The rape of Vanessa occurred just four days before the Court of Appeal's reversal of a lower court's guilty verdict on US soldier Daniel Smith for raping 'Nicole' in Subic Bay Freeport in late 2005. The reversal was a result of insistent US pressure and its local puppets' obsequious maneuvers to secure the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA). The promulgation of the appeals court's acquittal of Smith last April 23 shattered any remaining hope for her to win legal vindication of her grievance, given the prevailing puppet, mercenary and corrupt judicial system. All throughout the time the Subic rape case was being tried, the US banked on the inequities of the VFA and ordered Malacanang to prevent Smith from being placed under Philippine penal jurisdiction. They obtained his 'legal' acquittal to maintain the 'zero' record of US soldiers convicted of any crime in the country. Indeed, Vanessa has little hope of attaining justice under the Arroyo regime that serves as a servile puppet to the US and its interventionist military. She knows full well that the VFA and all judicial and diplomatic measures will be stacked up against her by the US and Philippine governments, just like what they happened to Nicole. Vanessa has, on the other hand, won the widespread sympathy and support of the Filipino people. The CPP and all revolutionary forces join the Filipino people's demand and struggle for justice in her case and in like cases of abuse and oppression of Filipino women and of the Filipino people. All Filipino patriots, democrats, progressives and revolutionaries must vigorously clamor and fight for the abrogation of the VFA, other similarly unequal, unjust and oppressive agreements and the entire range of neocolonial US-Philippine relations. Only by removing these obstacles can justice be attained for Vanessa and other victims of US military presence, domination, injustice and oppression in the country .
		Dr. Imleda Villar gave a ecture on the impact of rape on the victims

		MS. Melinda Grace Aonan, NCCP Program Secretary for Ecumenical Education and Nurture welcomed the participants in the forum with the following passages from the Bible:▼










Emmi de Jesus, Secretary General, Gabriela	Renato Reyes, Secretary General, BAYAN		Atty. Evalyn Ursua, lawyer of Nicole
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