Honor Or Immunity?

[cobraKing]

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Honor Or Immunity?

Sotto: Don’t Sacrifice Pinay’s Rights
By MARIO B. CASAYURAN
May 8, 2012, 8:29pm
MANILA, Philippines - The Senate demanded yesterday that the rights of a young Filipina allegedly raped by a Panamanian, who was given diplomatic immunity by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), must not be sacrificed just to maintain good Philippine relations with Panama.
This was the sentiment of Senate leaders led by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile after Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III delivered a scathing privilege speech decrying the speed with which the DFA had given three conflicting positions on the diplomatic immunity of Erick Schcks Bairnals, the Panamanian, and the fast dismissal by the Makati Regional Trial Court of the rape complaint against Bairnals last April 30.
In his privilege speech, Sotto questioned the release of, and the immunity accorded to the Panamian.
“This is about the crime of rape. It is not a small matter. Are we so helpless or too kind to foreigners in grievous matters such as these?” Sotto asked.
“They say that diplomats enjoy certain privileges and immunities. Ang rape ba ay isang (Is rape a) privilege to enjoy? Ano pa ba ang mga crimes na kasama sa mga privileges and immunities na ito?” he asked further.
For his part, Enrile said, “I don’t even know Panama has an embassy in Manila. What is the importance of Panama to the Republic of the Philippines? Why do we value our relations to that country to the extent of sacrificing the rights of a humble (19-year-old) Filipina?”
Sotto’s privilege speech was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee chaired by Sen. Loren Legarda who said that Philippine laws and international agreements on human rights should take precedence over international agreements on diplomatic immunity.
Enrile, Sotto, and Legarda are in agreement that Bairnals, a technical officer of the Panama Maritime Authority, does not enjoy immunity.
Moreover, Legarda said that the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Immunity is not absolute as “this does not allow a foreigner who has diplomatic immunity to rape a Filipina.”
Both Legarda and Sotto agreed that the crime of rape is outside the “official tasks” of diplomats, ambassadors and officials of international organizations residing within the sig¬natory country’s borders as defined by the Vienna convention.
Legarda said the DFA must explain why it issued three conflicting positions on whether or not Bairnals enjoy diplomatic immunity.
Last April 25, Felix de Leon, head of the DFA security division, issued a certification to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) that Bairnals “has no diplomatic immunity.”
Two days later, the DFA privileges and immunity division issued a certifi¬cation that Bairnals holds the position of a technical officer, and is covered by diplomatic immunity.
“Lastly, the DFA issued a certification that the subject Panamanian is not immune from civil and administrative liability,” Sotto said.
Sotto then asked: “Who among the DFA officials is authorized to officially issue certifications on diplomatic im-munity and which office has custody of the official list of those afforded diplomatic immunity?”
The charge of rape, filed at 2 p.m. last April 30, was dismissed by the Makati RTC 50 minutes later based on a motion to withdraw filed by the prosecutor of Makati city.
The victim, whose real identity is still being withheld, was allegedly raped on the night of April 23 after the respondent had befriended her during a book fair.
Sotto said the Panamanian then allegedly forced her to sniff a drug and later on raped her.


Honor Or Immunity? | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

[crossramz]

it is okay to give immunity to that bad ass but given the condition on his way home he should be shot 5 times to his head.. damn those diplomats..

[balipseyev]

Bitayon na oy, kadaghan na jud ning rape case sa foreigners kay mabaliwala ra...

[ambokz]

ngano kung ang foreigner mkasala dri sa atoa,specially knang rape,di man bug-at ug parusa?damn!parehason plang sa china, mka sala, bitayon jud.mao mag cge nig pnaghan ning in ani na kaso,salig rman,kay either tgaan immunity or ipa-deport rman.tsk tsk

[mbneiz]

mao gyud... patyon tana tawhana! yatis.. mga law makers magbinugo man

[JcBoY]

How I wish we have a laws like China and Islamic Laws, way mo-kontra ha! Pait ra ba kaayo ning kitay hintungdan, kay nakasuway na ra ba ko lami gyud kaayo mopanit ug lapa2 ug kanang mga bunal sa mga rapists unya asinan. Kining balaod nato usab2 sa maka-pabor lang, sample karon implement ang death penalty unya kay naa may mga pamilya sa mga bantugang tawo sa Pilipinas nga naka-linya sa death sentence, paningkamutan gyud nga ma-repeal ang balaod. Wa gani diay kahibawo si Manong Juan nga dunay Panamian Embassy diri sa ato labaw pang makapa-kurat nga tagaan pa sa DFA ug immunity ilang mga personnel sa kaso pa gyud nga RAPE! Nahimo na man lang tawon tang pinaka-ubos ug kataw-anan nga mga tawo sa kalibotan tungod ining atong gobyernong Corrupt.

[monroy]

^ Naa man say diplomatic immunity sa China para sa diplomats.

Article 14 sa:
REGULATIONS OF THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA CONCERNING DIPLOMATIC PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES

Naa ra na sa Panama kung i-waive nila, kung dili puwede man sad nila ipa sarado ang ilahang embassy dire. Mao ra jud na ang 2 ka option ani...

[kuyabog]

hain man ang honor ani.. nga nikuyog man ang girl sa intimate nga lugar.. giving obvious approval sa panamanian nga pwede sya magpa j3rjer..

usually mga pinay ana man gud labi na ug gwapo ang foreigner

[crossramz]

hain man ang honor ani.. nga nikuyog man ang girl sa intimate nga lugar.. giving obvious approval sa panamanian nga pwede sya magpa j3rjer..

usually mga pinay ana man gud labi na ug gwapo ang foreigner

yes citing that fact bro pwede ka mo ingon na walay rape na hitabo.. but

"Sotto said the Panamanian then allegedly forced her to sniff a drug and later on raped her."

this act alone represents any malicious and criminal intent mao naa jud na ma file na case rape. Kung iya lang to giyag-yagan ug kwarta dili unta ingon-ana mahitabo..

pero back to the topic kay OT na kaau ta..

The issue here is about the immunity provided by the DFA...

[kuyabog]

yes citing that fact bro pwede ka mo ingon na walay rape na hitabo.. but

"Sotto said the Panamanian then allegedly forced her to sniff a drug and later on raped her."

this act alone represents any malicious and criminal intent mao naa jud na ma file na case rape. Kung iya lang to giyag-yagan ug kwarta dili unta ingon-ana mahitabo..

pero back to the topic kay OT na kaau ta..

The issue here is about the immunity provided by the DFA...

naglisod man sab gud ang immunity issue sa DFA tungod sa reciprocity clause sa atong treaty with other countries like panama.

kung immunity ang hisgutan.. there is nothing to talk about anymore. it has been written.