Protest march marks Year 1 of Subic rape case

Activist groups on Wednesday marked the first anniversary of the alleged rape of a Filipino woman by four US servicemen in Subic with a protest march inside the former US military base. The 23-year-old woman joined the protest march. She said the protest action should be a warning to visiting US soldiers. "I came here as a tourist, not as a hooker," the complainant, who covered her face and wore dark sunglasses, said in an interview aired over GMA-7 television. Leftist activists who joined the march held placards and declared the four US servicemen guilty of the crime. Capt. Burrell Parmer, public affairs officer of the US forces participating in a military exercise in Subic this week, said visiting American soldiers are free to spend their time inside the former US naval base although a curfew must be observed. Parmer did not say what time the curfew would start. Parmer said rest-and-recreation activities of US forces are opportunities for the Americans to find out more about the Philippines and meet Filipinos. Nicole, not her real name, accused four US servicemen of raping her last year after meeting them at Neptune Club inside the Subic Freeport. A Makati court is due to hand down its decision on the case on November 27. The protest march Wednesday was dubbed "Take Back the Night" after the "Take Back the Night" rallies in the 1970s in Europe to protest against the dangers women faced while walking in the streets at night. Organizers of the Subic march said they wanted to raise people's awareness on violence against women. - GMANews.TV