No rape CA’s women justices reverse Cpl. Smith conviction
Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith, the US marine convicted in December 2006 by a lower court of raping a Filipina in Subic, was acquitted ironically by the women justices of the Philippine’s Court of Appeals Thursday.
“Wherefore, on reasonable ground, the accused Lance Corporal Daniel Smith is hereby acquitted of the crime of rape as alleged in the information,” said the appellate court in its 71-page decision.
The ruling, penned by Associate Justice Monina Arevalo-Zenarosa of the CA’s Special Eleventh Division, reversed and set aside the decision of the Makati Regional Trial Court on December 4, 2006. The Makati-RTC’s decision made Smith the first-ever American military personnel convicted of committing crime on Philippine soil.
Concurring with the CA decision were two other female magistrates, Remedios Salazar-Fernando and Myrna Dimaranan-Vidal.
Not rape, just a romantic episode
The CA likewise ordered Smith’s immediate release from detention unless there is another case filed against him. Smith is currently being
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