Judge wants Marines held

A PHILIPPINE judge said he will insist on local custody of four American Marines charged with raping a Filipino woman, which would test a visiting forces treaty between the two allies.

Executive Judge Renato Dilag, picked yesterday to hear the rape case, told reporters he expected to issue arrest warrants for the four Americans, now held by the US embassy in Manila, before a scheduled arraignment in 10 days.

Washington has not replied publicly to a request by the Philippine foreign affairs department for the transfer of the accused soldiers but is likely to invoke the Visiting Forces Agreement to keep the four men in US custody.

Presidential spokesman Ignacio Bunye played down any risks to close ties between the United States and the Philippines.