4 Marines charged with rape

OLONGAPO, Philippines – Philippine prosecutors charged four U.S. Marines with rape on Tuesday in a case seen as a test of a bilateral accord allowing American troops to train here.

Prosecutor Prudencio Jalandoni alleged in court documents that one of the Marines raped a 22-year-old woman in November inside a van at Subic Bay, a former U.S. naval base northwest of Manila, as fellow Marines cheered him on to the beat of loud music.

Another prosecutor, Raymond Viray, said the case would be a crucial test for the Visiting Forces Agreement, which allows American forces to conduct counterterrorism maneuvers with Filipino troops. Critics have expressed concerns that U.S. officials would use the accord to shield the Marines from prosecution.

Under the agreement, the U.S. government would not be obligated to turn the Marines over for proceedings if judicial proceedings take longer than a year.

U.S. Embassy officials have said they would cooperate with the Philippine government in the investigation but have not indicated if they would transfer the Marines to Philippine custody. The four Marines have denied the accusations.

The Marines had just taken part in a counterterrorism exercise and were on liberty at the time of the alleged incident on Nov. 1.