Accused marines to stay in US custody

THE United States yesterday refused a Philippine request to hand over four marines charged with rape, provoking anti-American protests in the capital and the Muslim south, where US troops began annual counter-terrorism training of Filipino soldiers.

In a letter to the Philippine government, the US embassy invoked the bilateral Visiting Forces Agreement, which allows large-scale US training in the country, and vowed to keep the marines in its custody during an upcoming trial.

Prosecutor Prudencio Jalandoni said he was disappointed but would ask the court handling the rape case to abide by the US decision and set a trial date.