Two days ago, I survived yet another nerve-wracking trip to and from Metro Manila. Of all the places I've been here, I dislike Manila, Philippines the most.

I left here on Wednesday morning at approximately 6:30 am and arrived at the American Embassy at about 9 am. The stretch from Olongapo City to San Fernando in Pampanga is annoying and the slowest part of the journey, but it's not really dangerous. Traveling through Manila after leaving the Northern Luzon Expressway, is the part that terrifies me.

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I've paid attention to this trial for only one reason, I live here in the Philippines. The location of the incident is about 6 kilometers from where I live. During the evening of November 1, 2005, Suzette Nicolas left a club on SBMA and got into a van with a Filipino driver and four US Marines, including Lance Corporal Daniel Smith. While the van was moving, Dan and Suzette had sex in the back of the van. In the early hours of November 2, she was dropped off in the parking lot of the club and later filed rape charges against Smith. When the case was presented to an Olongapo City, Philippines judge, it was thrown out and Suzette took the case to Manila, Philippines. While the other marines were acquitted of the charges, Lance Corporal Smith was convicted on December 4, 2006, and sentenced to 40 years in prison. The case is now under appeal.

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