'We're not monsters', says US marine in Subic rape case

One of the four US marines accused in the rape of a 22-year-old Filipino woman in Subic last November said Wednesday that they weren’t “monsters" and was optimistic they would be cleared of the alleged crime. “We’re human. We’re not the monsters that we’re made out to be," Staff Sergeant Chad Carpentier, the highest ranking among the US marines under trial, told GMA-7 newscast '24 Oras'. “But you know there is another person in that van that sad night and that is the Lord and he knows exactly what went on in that van," Carpentier added. The alleged victim, "Nicole" (not her real name), is set to testify before a Makati court on Thursday. Carpentier, who was interviewed in a room at the US Embassy, expressed confidence that they would be acquitted. Carpentier and the other US marines – Lance Corporals Daniel Smith, Keith Silkwood and Dominic Duplantis – all stand as principal accused in the case. The defense has maintained Smith had consensual sex with Nicole. The US marine said he had long wanted to speak out because he had “nothing to hide". He added the Subic rape case has taken its emotional toll on him and his comrades in arms. “These guys, you know, sometimes they come to me for support and I have to pretend that I’m doing okay but inside, I’m struggling too," Carpentier said.-GMANews.TV