The Irony That Is Nicole

It was reported in the news today that Nicole, the victim of convicted rapist US Serviceman Lance Corporal Daniel Smith, is already in the US and doesn't want to continue with the case anymore. In my opinion, it's a sad development, and a huge irony at that.

Her mother, who is still here in the Philippines, was reported as saying that her daughter simply wants closure, wants to move on and that she doesn't want to be bothered by the issue anymore. And she adds that she will get nothing, and she got no help and support from the Philippine government. And this my friends is the reason why she went to the US - to the very country where her rapist came from!

This for me is the irony and the sad story: Nicole was raped by an American, she joined calls to junk VFA and to condemn the US, and now, she runs to the land of milk and honey because she got tired of the fight here at home. Some are speculating that she went to the US because she got the $100K from Smith, as ordered by the court; and in addition, some are even saying she went to the US with the blessing (and the funding) of Malacanan (since it was part of Obama's phone call to GMA).

Setting aside all these speculations and controversies, the most tragic thing to come out of this whole hoola baloo is the lack of justice for a Filipina rape victim. Smith is enjoying the comforts of the US Embassay (and for all we know, he might even be going in and out of the compound, in violation of his commitment order). Once again, we see how the justice system has failed our people, how justice seems to be far from the reach of ordinary Filipinos. We once again see how money, power and politics play a big role to turn the wheels of justice. Even is Nicole was indeed given money, or if she simply wanted to get away from it all, the reality is that there are hundreds and thousands of other "Nicole's" out there in search of justice, in search of fairness, and in search of the truth, and also the hope that someday, this land that we call home can truly be a place where we Filipinos are safe and are the privileged ones.