Nida Blanca's daughter vents ire on stepfather

The daughter of slain actress Nida Blanca has vowed to fight for the extradition of her stepfather Rod Strunk who was recently freed by a US court which rejected the Philippine government's bid for his extradition.

"Rod, be happy now. Have your luck now. I will have mine later," vowed Kaye Torres, Blanca's only daughter by her first husband.

"How can you say you loved her (after what had happened)? You have enslaved her for 22 years, making her work for you and support you in the Philippines where you lived like a king," she added, with anger.

At the same time, she called for the resignation of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) head Reynaldo Wycoco, adding he slept on his job.

"I myself heard the complaint of the lawyers in the US, that they failed to receive on time all the papers that were required from the Philippine government for Rod's extradition," said Torres, also US-based who came to Manila recently to commemorate the second death anniversary of her mother.

"If Mr. Wycoco claimed he did everything for the Philippine government's bid, he is lying," said Torres, adding that officials of the justice department also reneged on their job and further weakened the Philippine government's case in the US.

Claiming she had attended hearings of the case in the US, she quoted the US judge to have said, "Nida Blanca is a very famous and well-loved movie icon."

"The judge himself said he cannot understand why the Philippine government cannot give enough or adequate concern and support and enthusiasm for this case," Torres said.

"The Americans are also baffled as to why the (Philippine) government has not given this case enough attention," she said.

Her lawyer, Harriet Demetriu, called on the senate to investigate the missing link which weakened the Philippine government's case for Strunk's extradition.

Stung by the impact of the US court's decision, President Gloria Arroyo called on the foreign affairs department to explore all legal measures for the return of Strunk to the country.

"The Department of Justice and the Department of Foreign Affairs are instructed to continue exploring all legal measures to bring Mr. Strunk back to face our courts," said Ricardo Saludo, the deputy presidential spokesman.