Pag-absuwelto kay Smith inasahan na raw ng mga mambabatas

MANILA – Sinabi ni Senate Minority leader Aquilino Pimentel Jr. na hindi na nakakagulat ang naging Court of Appeals na iabsuwelto si Lance Corporal Daniel Smith sa kasong rape matapos maghain ng bagong testimonya ang umano’y biktima niya na si “Nicole" noong nakaraang buwan. “That was to be expected after Nicole made a retraction. In effect, she said there was no rape. And the Court of Appeals is both a triers of facts and law. And so, they must have considered that withdrawal as a vital link between innocence and eventual acquittal of Smith," ayon sa senador. Sa kabila nito, hindi umano maaalis na pagdudahan na may “pressure" na nangyari mula sa administrasyon kaya nabasura ang kaso. “Of course it could not be avoided, there were doubts, there may have been pressure. But as for how the court came up with its ruling, I am sure it tended to focus on the retraction," idinagdag niya. Tinawag naman ni Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo na “unpatriotic act" ang naging desisyon ng CA na pumabor sa posisyon ng kampo ni Smith. “The appellate court’s reversal of the lower court’s conviction of Lance Corporal Daniel Smith for raping Suzette Nicolas is at bottom a major blow to our national sovereignty and dignity, and to Philippine jurisprudence," ayon sa militanteng kongresista. Pinuna nito na mistulang kinampihan ng mga mahistrado ang depensa ni Smith batay sa pagbabago ng pahayag ni Nicole na hindi na siya sigurado kung hinalay siya ng akusado noong Nob. 1, 2005 sa Subic. Itinuturing naman kina party-list Reps. Riza Hontiveros (Akbayan), Liza Maza (Gabriela) at Luzviminda Ilagan (Gabriels), “shameless act" ang naging desisyon ng mga babaeng mahistrado ng CA na sumuri sa naging hatol ng Makati Regional Trial court kay Smith. "It is not a surprise. Our government is totally subservient to US dictates. We condemn this added insult to the injury suffered by Nicole and other victims of US abuses. Where is our sense of dignity and nationalism?" ayon kay Ilagan. Samantala, inihayag ni Pimentel na hindi madaling ibasura ng Senado ang Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) na tratado ng Pilipinas sa isang higanteng bansa (US). “I only wish to emphasize the fact that, you cannot abrogate the VFA unilaterally. It is a treaty that has to take into account the views of the partner, which in this case, happens to be a giant. We pygmies in this international game are tied up with a giant in this VFA. What I am saying is if that is the aim of some of my colleagues, that will be quite difficult to do," paliwanag niya. - GMANews.TV