No apologies to an important friend and ally

This is in reaction to the news story titled "US military apologizes for S. Korea rape." (PDI 1-16-07).

I wonder why the US military can apologize to South Korea for a crime committed by one of its soldiers, but refuses to do the same to the Philippines for a similar crime.

Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith has been convicted of rape here in our country. The 23-year old US soldier in South Korea is still a suspect, but the US military has already issued an apology to the host country. "I deeply regret and personally apologize for this terrible incident that has resulted in grave injury to a Korean civilian. This vicious act is an affront to all soldiers," Maj. Gen. John Morgan, the acting US 8th Army commander, was quoted as saying.

On the other hand, instead of issuing an apology for the rape of Nicole by Smith, Gen. William Fallows, supreme commander of the US-Pacific forces, canceled the Balikatan exercises for this year (the exercises were rescheduled after Smith was given back to US custody) to show his government's displeasure with Smith's imprisonment at the Makati City Jail.

Is this the way to treat an important ally and "friend"? The US military already has its way with regard to the custody of Smith. The least it can do is to issue an apology to the Filipino people for the rape of Nicole.

Both the rape of a 67-year-old Korean woman by an American soldier and the rape of a 23-year-old Filipino woman by an American soldier fall into the category of a "vicious act (that) is an affront to all soldiers."

(taken from the Letters to the Editor, PDI January 23,2007 issue)