A Philippines court has found a US marine (21) guilty of raping a Filipino woman at a former US navy base last year and sentenced him to life in prison for "bestial acts".
Three other marines were acquitted after a seven-month trial, which had prompted small protests against US-Philippine military ties.
"The court is morally convinced that Lance Corporal Daniel Smith committed the crime charged," a clerk said, reading the decision of the court.
The verdict, which included an order for Smith to pay 100,000 pesos ($2,000) in damages to the victim and her family, will automatically go to a higher court for review.
Less than two hours after the ruling, a US navy plane whisked the three acquitted marines out of the country to rejoin their unit in Okinawa, Japan.
The Philippines government hailed the result but said the verdict would do nothing to harm close relations with the United States, which provides funding, equipment and training to Filipino troops fighting Muslim and communist rebel groups.
The judge ordered Smith to be temporarily held at a city jail in Manila while the two governments resolve where he should serve his sentence.
He was taken from the court to a police station as US embassy officials sought to have him returned to their custody.