Seattle man cleared of rape after 5 years in Philippine jail

MANILA, Philippines (AP) -- An American man jailed in the Philippines for over five years has been freed after being acquitted of rape.

A court in metropolitan Manila cleared Scott McMahon, of Seattle, on Tuesday after finding no clear evidence that he committed rape, as a Filipino woman alleged.

Jail officer Omar Surigao said that after the acquittal, McMahon was released from a jail in metropolitan Manila. He said McMahon's mother, Shelley Campanella, was among those present when McMahon was released.

McMahon, who has two children with his Filipino fiancee, had been detained since April 2011.

Campanella has said that her son was wrongly accused of rape by the woman after he filed a case against her for allegedly traumatizing his young son.