InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines -- Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III will deliver a privilege speech on Tuesday to deplore and condemn the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for saving from prosecution a Panamanian diplomat who was accused of rape.
“The act of the DFA is condemnable since it should be a protector of our people not anybody else,” he said.
Sotto said the rape victim’s family went to the Makati Regional Trial Court for the hearing of the case against Erick Baimals Shcks at 2: p.m., and the case was dismissed at 2:50 p.m.
“Ganoon kabilis (It was that fast), and the basis was the certification issued by DFA controverting their earlier certification that he is not a diplomat and does not have a diplomatic immunity by saying he is a diplomatic agent,” the senator said.
Sotto said that Section 31 of the Vienna Convention clearly states that diplomatic immunity can only be applied on acts that are part of a diplomat’s official duties.
“Official function ba yung inimbitahan mong uminom ang biktima, dinala mo sa hotel, nilagyan ng droga ang inuman saka ni-rape (Is it part of official function to invite the victim for a drink, bring her up to the hotel room, put drugs in the drink and then rape another)? Is that an official function of a diplomat?” Sotto asked.
Shcks, a 35-year-old technical officer of the Panama Maritime Authority, was charged for the rape of a 19-year-old on April 23 at Shck’s place.
