'Nicole': I had a boyfriend when rape happened

After earlier breaking down at the witness stand, the complainant in the Subic rape case said Thursday she had an American boyfriend when the alleged crime took place. The 22-year-old Filipino woman complainant called by women's groups as "Nicole" told the Makati regional trial court-Branch 139 she had a relationship with US marine Brian Goodrich of the 12th Marines Operations Platoon based in Okinawa, Japan. Answering questions from her counsel Evalyn Ursua, Nicole said she was able to speak with Goodrich before leaving for Olongapo City on Oct. 30, 2005. Nicole alleged that Lance Corporals Daniel Smith, Dominic Duplantis, Keith Silkwood, and Staff Sergeant Chad Carpentier connived to sexually assault her on Nov. 1, 2005 inside the Subic Bay Freeport. She hails from Zamboanga City, where she purportedly met Goodrich during the "Operation Enduring Freedom" joint military exercises last year. Asked if Goodrich knew she was going to Olongapo City, Nicole said: "Yes, he was aware that I'm going because he called." Nicole quoted Goodrich as telling her to "just take care of yourself." In a statement to the US Naval Criminal Investigation Service (NCIS), Goodrich said his girlfriend never worked in a bar, as claimed by the lawyers of the accused when the incident broke out in the news. Ursua earlier said a therapist helped the victim prepare for her testimony. Strict rules were observed at the courtroom during the victim's testimony, allowing only a limited number of media members and other observers to enter the courtroom. Ursua said only the lawyers were normally allowed inside the courtroom but in the present case, journalists were permitted to sit through the proceedings. Bringing cameras inside the courtroom, however, was still prohibited. The lawyer added the prosecution panel still reserves the right to send people out of the courtroom if matters being discussed turn sensitive. The victim's counsels were hoping to present at least six more witnesses, including Timoteo Soriano Jr, the driver of the van where the supposedly sexual assault was consummated. Also lined up as witnesses were a toxicologist, a psychologist, a forensic psychiatrist and medico-legal official Rolando Ortiz II. Ursua said they were also hopeful that they will be able to present Raquel Fortun, one of only two forensic pathologists in the country who trained abroad, as an expert witness.-GMANews.TV