Soldiers have a habit of evading the legal system

The alleged rape of a Philippine citizen has resurrected a long and often painful experience of bringing to justice erring American soldiers once stationed in US military bases scattered across the country.

The courts of Olongapo City have archived numerous cases in which American servicemen have managed to skip Philippine justice by shipping out with the help of US authorities.

Senator Richard Gordon, who was mayor of Olongapo for 12 years, said that 'what happened was the Americans took custody and tried these people themselves'.

Mr Gordon recalled the case of an American serviceman accused of paedophilia. As mayor, he asked the US military to look for the accused, who was found in Pennsylvania.

'I wanted him brought back but they [the US military] refused.' The man was court-martialled in Guam and received a dishonourable discharge.

Mr Gordon said the US should treat the Philippines as a sovereign state. 'We are not an occupied country like Iraq.'