AN official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the US military has agreed to conduct court-martial proceedings against an American soldier accused of raping a Filipino woman in Okinawa, Japan.

Esteban Conejos Jr., foreign affairs undersecretary for migrant workers affairs, said the Philippine consul general to Tokyo, Sulpicio Confiado, reported to him that the US military “will entertain” the hearing on the alleged rape incident that occurred in a hotel outside the US military base in Okinawa, on February 18.

The rape charges against the US soldier were dismissed earlier by the Naha prosecutor’s office for lack of merit. The decision has prompted the Philippine government to look at two options: to appeal before the prosecutor and to seek court-martial proceedings with the US military.

“The US military has taken cognizance, assumed jurisdiction of the case,” said Conejos. The DFA official said Confiado called him on Tuesday and asked for authority to hire another lawyer to represent the victim before the US military tribunal. Conejos said he has approved the hiring of a Japanese lawyer who is more conversant with English and with US military-court proceedings.

At the same time, the DFA is also exploring the other option of filing a motion for reconsideration with the Japanese public prosecutor. This, despite the previous recommendation of a privately hired Japanese lawyer who said the decision of a Japanese prosecutor is difficult to overturn.

“I was told that such a petition will be heard by a 15-member jury and the percentages of the petition being granted is not in our favor; the decision of the public prosecutor is very difficult to overturn,” he said.

Victims’ kin asked to sign ‘blank’ SPAs

JUSTICE Secretary Raul Gonzalez on Monday ordered an investigation into reports that relatives of the victims of the MV Princess of the Stars are being lured into signing a “blank” special power of attorney (SPA) which could be used for quit-claim purposes.

Arroyo meets relatives of ‘Princess’ fatalities in Cebu

PRESIDENT Arroyo visited some 500 relatives of the victims of MV Princess of the Stars at the Cebu City Sports Center on Wednesday.

AMID mounting calls for the total ban on endosulfan, a militant legislator called on the Department of Agriculture and the Fertilizers and Pesticides Authority (FPA) to conduct an immediate inspection and recall of the highly toxic pesticide.

Interpol forensic experts start identifying bodies

FOREIGN forensic experts assisting local authorities in identifying the remains of those who died in the MV Princess of the Stars disaster have set up a victim-identification management information center (Vimic) at the Cebu Port Authority compound in Cebu City.

Deportation of Pinoys looms

THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has alerted embassies and consulates in the 27 member-states of the European Union (EU) of the possible mass deportation of close to 100,000 undocumented Filipino workers in those countries after the EU Parliament adopted the draft on implementing tougher moves to ease out foreign illegal migrants in the union.

Not all is lost for Pinay in Okinawa rape

AN official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the US military has agreed to conduct court-martial proceedings against an American soldier accused of raping a Filipino woman in Okinawa, Japan.

China still backing Northrail

THE Chinese Embassy in the Philippines has maintained on Wednesday that the $400-million project for the North Luzon Railways project is pushing through.

First night-capable attack choppers to be delivered in ’09

Benito Ebuen Air Base, Cebu—The Air Force will acquire not only six night-capable attack helicopters but 14, as President Arroyo increased the Air Force’s original budget of P1.2 billion to more than P3.1 billion for the purchase of such air assets.