Activists call for Philippine custody of US marine suspected of murder

MANILA: Political activists and gender equality groups called on the Philippine government to take custody of an American serviceman who was identified as a suspect for the killing of a transgender person in northern Luzon on Saturday, towards the end of joint war games between the Philippines and the United States in a bay fronting the former US base.

“The Philippine government must take custody of the suspected American serviceman. He should remain in the Philippines for his trial in a local court — to ensure justice for his Filipino victim,” Professor Roland Simbulan said in an interview on Monday.

“The victim, Jeffrey Laude, must be given justice. The case must not be swept under the rug, especially because the victim is transgender,” said Dindi Tan of the Association of Transgender People in the Philippines (ATP). Protest rallies will be held, warned women’s groups. .

Confirming the involvement of a US serviceman in the murder case, Maj. Gen. Domingo Tutaan Jr., spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said in a press conference, “The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) identified a US serviceman for the murder of transgender Jeffrey Laude who was found dead inside the Celzone Lodge in East Tapinac village, Olongapo City, Zambales late Saturday night.”

The American soldier escorted Laude in a disco bar in Olongapo City Saturday evening. Then they proceeded to the lodge, where Laude was eventually found dead, said Tutaan. He did not release the name of the US serviceman.

Another source said the suspected killer came from Camp Lejeune of the US Marines in North Carolina. He and other members of the 9th US Marines’ Light Infantry 2nd Battalion were deployed to the Philippines for the Amphibious Landing Exercises (PHIBLEX) of the US and Philippine military forces in Zambales from September 29 to October 10.

The Visiting Forces Agreement Commission will continue investigating the case, said Tutaan.

Confirming Tutaan’s report, the US Embassy in Manila said in a statement, “A US Marine has been identified as a possible suspect in the ongoing investigation.”

“The United States will continue to fully cooperate with Philippine law enforcement authorities in every aspect of the investigation,” said the embassy statement, adding, “The United States Embassy in Manila expresses its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jeffrey Laude.”

A report from Marine Corps Times disclosed that the suspected killer, including three other companions who could be witnesses were already detained aboard the USS Peleliu

The US ship docked in Subic Bay also on Saturday, in connection with the US-Philippine war games. Olongapo City mayor Rolen Paulino said, adding that the ship’s port call would end Tuesday.

An autopsy report said that Laude, 26, allegedly died of asphyxiation by drowning.

Last Sunday, a team from the US federal law enforcement agency Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) was with the CIDG PNP during the initial investigation of the murder case and the victim’s autopsy. The NCIS is in charge of investigating criminal offences involving the US Navy and Marine Corps. Activists are wary because of a rape case involving a US soldier in 2006.

At the time, a lower court in Metro Manila’s Makati City found US soldier Daniel Smith guilty of raping a Filipina in Subic in 2005, He was initially detained in a jail in Makati City, but was later placed under US custody and detained at Manila’s US Embassy.

In April 2009, the Court of Appeals acquitted Smith of rape, following a retraction from the rape victim who was identified as Nicole throughout the trial.

She was pressured to retract her statement to save face for the action of the US Embassy and at the same time help mend US-Philippine relations, outraged observers said.