DESPITE their meager numbers, supporters of a United States Marine jailed for rape will start nightly vigils at the Makati city jail, an activity they vowed to keep up until the Marine was returned to US custody.

Grace Santos, head of the group “Supporters of Daniel Smith,” said on Sunday the organization, starting Monday night, would begin nightly candle-lighting and prayer rites for the 21-year-old Marine lance corporal who had been held at the Makati city jail since Dec. 4 after he was convicted by a Makati court of rape.

“If he will still be at the city jail... We’re gonna shuffle people so that it will be continuous... We will light candles and pray the rosary,” said Santos.

The support group for Smith, composed of wives of US servicemen, expatriates and Filipinos who admire the Marine corporal, was still finalizing details but Santos said they were aiming to hold two-hour vigils for Smith every night, with at least 10 people attending at a time.

“I think it will give him hope... We just want him to know that people love him and believe him. We trust him,” said Santos, 34, who had been bringing gifts, food and letters to Smith since the day he was locked up in Makati.

Invoking the RP-US Visiting Forces Agreement, Smith is fighting to be remanded to US custody while the appeal of his case is heard by the Court of Appeals.

Makati Judge Benjamin Pozon, the same judge who found Smith guilty of rape, upheld his earlier decision committing Smith to the jail.

Smith has appealed to the Court of Appeals. He faces a jail term of up to 40 years for the “bestial” act of raping a drunk “Nicole” in the back seat of a van at the Subic Bay Freeport on the night of Nov. 1, 2005.

Santos said their group would continue to support Smith even if he had to remain at the city jail over Christmas.

“We will have our Christmas party outside the jail... But if he’s gonna go back to the [US] embassy, then we’re gonna have our party outside the embassy,” she said.