The United States government is looking forward to a "fair and impartial" trial for the four US marines who were charged of raping a 22-year-old Filipina in Subic Bay, Olongapo City on Nov. 1, the US embassy said Tuesday.

"It is a principle of Philippine and American law that anyone accused of a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The US remains committed to seeing that justice is served, and looks forward to a fair and impartial process that can provide for a just outcome," the embassy said in a statement.

The US embassy also promised to continue the cooperation with Philippine authorities under the guidelines of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) as the case moves to trial under the Philippine jurisdiction.

The Office of the City Prosecutor of Olongapo City Tuesday formally filed charges against four of the six US marines who were suspected of raping the Filipina. The other two were cleared the charge after they provided adequate evidence to prove their absence from the crime.

However, the accused soldiers still remain in custody of the US Embassy in Manila.

Foreign Affairs Spokesman Gilberto Asuque earlier said that the note verbale seeking custody of the US marines that was sent to Washington last Nov. 16 still stands.

Manila has not yet received a response from the US government more than a month after the diplomatic note was transmitted to Washington. "We continue to follow it up with the US Embassy to reply to the note verbale," Asuque said.

The accused American soldiers were among the 4,000 US troops who took part in the Philippine-US military exercise in Central Luzon in November.

This is the first reported rape incident since the VFA was signed in 1998 and entered into force in 1999 after the Philippine Senate ratified the agreement as a treaty.

Under the VFA with the Philippines, the US will retain custody of its service members accused of wrongdoing unless the Philippine government requests otherwise.

Even then, the US government can refuse such a request -- a provision that some Philippine lawmakers have criticized as infringing on national sovereignty.

Source: Xinhua