During the trial there was a ban on U.S. soldiers’ “liberty” status in Olongapo, and some Filipinos working in the area lost significant income because of it. This led to tension between activists and locals, who blamed Laude supporters for driving away their business. How does the continued presence of the U.S. military in the Philippines affect its local economy? In what ways has this driven a wedge between citizens of Olongapo?

Later in the trial, the U.S. government offers to pay Jennifer Laude’s mother, Julita “Nanay” Laude, to close the case. In response to this, attorney Harry Roque states that “the U.S. government took advantage of poverty in an attempt to release one of their Marines.” How does the Laude family’s poverty affect the ability to obtain justice? How does the public perceive the family’s decision to continue the case instead of taking the money?