I Love Pinoys

MANILA, Philippines - The United States Army has charged an American serviceman with raping a 22-year-old Filipino woman in Okinawa, Japan, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said in a statement released last August 1.

The DFA said the US Army charged 25-year-old Specialist Ronald Edward Hopstock Jr of violating Section 120 of the US Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).

The said section refers to rape, sexual assault, and other sexual misconduct.

The Code’s maximum punishment for rape is dishonorable discharge, death or confinement for life, and forfeiture of all pay and allowances.

Also last Monday, the DFA said that the commander of the 10th Army Support Group of the US Army in Japan “appointed an independent officer (IO) to conduct an Article 32 UCMJ hearing.”

“The IO will determine whether reasonable grounds exist to believe that Hopstock committed the offenses with which he has been charged,” the DFA said.

An Article 32 hearing is a prerequisite to a court-martial. The procedure shares some similarities with Rule 112 of the Philippine Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure, according to the DFA.

“Rule 112 requires that an investigating officer conduct a preliminary investigation to determine if there are reasonable grounds to believe that a crime has been committed,” the DFA said.

The department said that if the IO finds reasonable grounds, Hopstock’s case will progress to a general court martial.

The DFA said the Philippine government “will continue to support the Filipina victim throughout the criminal procedure and has offered other assistance as may be needed.”

The Philippine Embassy and the Philippine Honorary Consulate General in Naha “retained additional legal counsel in Okinawa to protect (the woman’s) interest,” according to the DFA.

“The legal counsel has assisted her throughout the U.S. Army investigation and has been present at all the hearings,” the agency said.

The Philippine government extended legal assistance to the Filipina after the Japan Ministry of Justice released jurisdiction over the case on May 16, 2008 and transferred the case evidence to the US Army.

The 22-year-old Filipina cultural dancer, only identified as “Hazel,” was allegedly raped two days after her arrival in Okinawa last February.

Japanese police reports said that last February 18, Hazel was invited to dinner by a 20-something US serviceman at about 2 a.m. The alleged rape incident took place at a hotel in Okinawa on the said date. - GMANews.TV