Panamanian diplomat accused of raping 19-year-old Filipina leaves PH

Panamanian diplomat Erick Bairnals Shcks quietly left the Philippines Friday night, May 11, 2012 with Panamanian ambassador to the Philippines Roberto Carlos Vallarino Moreno. ERIC B. APOLONIO/InterAksyon.com

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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines - Panamanian rape suspect Erick Bairnals Shcks quietly left the Philippines Friday night. 

Accompanied by the Panamanian ambassador to the Philippines Roberto Carlos Vallarino Moreno, Shcks boarded KLM Royal Dutch Airlines flight KL808 bound for Amsterdam at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 in Pasay City. 

The two checked in quietly without the customary diplomatic assistance given to dignitaries at the airport and presented their tickets at the KLM counter. Moreno was a Business Class passenger while Shcks was on economy flight.

Shcks, a 35-year-old technical officer of the Panama Maritime Authority who holds a diplomatic passport, was accused of raping a 19-year-old Filipina last April 23.  

However, the  Philippine government could not file a case against Shcks due to his diplomatic immunity. 

Last Thursday , Philippine Department of Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said that “we really cannot do anything because of that diplomatic immunity. That’s an international agreement." 

“The Department of Foreign Affairs had already issued a certification that Shcks had diplomatic immunity," she added. 

The Philippine Senate earlier approved the motion of Majority Leader Vicente Sotto to conduct marathon hearings on the issuance of multiple certifications by the DFA that resulted in the dropping of rape charges against Shcks. 

“We will have a marathon hearing on this,“ Senator Loren Legarda assured Sotto after Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada referred the issue to the Senate committees on foreign relations and justice and human rights.

Senate president Juan Ponce Enrile supported the move. “We better look into this. My God, raping a Filipina, even a diplomat, at least he must be held in court and answer accordingly, i support the move." 

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