The Nicole-Smith Story

How should we put a headline to it?

The Love-Hate-Love Story
Laban o Bawi?
Oh, Ang Babae, Pag Umaayaw

Three (3) years after battling it out in court, controversial Subic rape victim 'Nicole' recants her testimony and now states that she doubts if Lance Corporal Daniel Smith really raped her on November 1, 2005.

In her latest statement, 'Nicole' states:

"With the amount of alcoholic mixed drinks I took, my low tolerance level for alcohol and with only a slice of pizza all night, it dawned upon me that I may have possibly lost my inhibitions, became so intimate with Daniel Smith and did more than just dancing and talking with him like everyone else on the dance floor,"

"My conscience continues to bother me realizing that I may have in fact been so friendly and intimate with Daniel Smith at the Neptune Club that he was led to believe that I was amenable to having sex or that we simply just got carried away,"


As expected, this latest development drew various reactions:

One lawyer who refused to be named, told ABS CBN news that this latest development in the rape case has all the indications that a deal has been reached between Smith and the victim and that the recantation could eventually lead to the dismissal of the case and Smith's acquittal.

Judge Benjamin Pozon, of the Makati Regional Trial Court, who issued the guilty verdict over Smith, stated that the recantation will not necessarily lead to Smith's acquittal.

Gabriela partylist Representative Liza Maza meanwhile says, "My sense is ‘Nicole’ is being made a scapegoat for the VFA".

'Nicole's mother stressed out that no one pressured and influenced 'Nicole's decision, but rather it was the decision of the family.

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Whatever that is, we have once again seen a telenovela unfold in our very eyes.