Barely hours after our earlier post on the Filipino Privileged Class, tackling among others, the special car plates of government officials and other so-called local elite, there is breaking news report ( http://ph.news.yahoo.com/abs/20091120/tph-adb-staff-s-son-involved-in-ebarle-k-85c5a6c.html ) of fatal shooting involving a Malacanan VIP and a Foreign Diplomat.
In what is a real tragedy that took away the life of a young man, it is also a very vivid example of power gone overboard, and painfully very ironic, that two individuals, both riding on cars with special car plates, met on the street, resulting in this senseless shooting.
The victim it turned out is not really a government official but rather the son of a Malacanan top official, the Presidential Chief of Staff, but still using the VIP car plate OPCS, probably meaning, Office of the President, Chief of Staff. While his killer, per initial police reports is a son of a British national economist working with the Asian Development Bank ( ADB ), and also using an equally VIP diplomatic plate of 20903.
So here we have proof that indeed, VIP and official cars are used by persons other than their authorized users. And more often than not, these unauthorized users are the ones arrogant on the road, mostly, drivers, or family members, sometimes, just ordinary office staff.
I actually pass by that road, Bonnie Serrano, Quezon City, near Camp Aguinaldo, and I actually remember recently seeing one similarly colored Toyota Land Cruiser driving behind me. Not sure though if its the same vehice. I distinctly remember it because its what we call ' Subic ' or Japan surplus vehicle. I also remember it for no other reason than I thought it had a menacing look, big SUV, tinted windows, and being near to a military camp, my mind wondered who could be inside.
Believe it or not, several weeks back, I also saw a Honda CRV model circa 1998 ( same car supposedly used by the shooter ) with diplomatic plate and with a young white foreigner driving somewhere along Julia Vargas Avenue in Pasig. The young man was I think with blond hair. I remember him because his CRV was not tinted and so, he was very visible from the outside.
In that traffic altercation that led to the shooting, one could imagine that neither of them would give way, aware of power and influence, even legal immunity, being on their respective side. And it seems a speeding car is not as fast as a speeding bullet, with the mind proving itself to be the fastest. It moves in blinding speed from leisurely thinking about driving to instantly deciding on murder.
Not to say, either or both acted precisely like that, but, this supposition could not be too far from what actually happened.
If anything is to be learned from this incident, it is that the feeling of privilege and power, exemplified here by VIP plates of the highest order, diplomatic and malacanan, are in the chaotic streets, not added security or protection, but may even push one closer to danger. Surely, a free ticket not to be accosted by police for traffic violation or color coding, is not worth all the risks.
Not too long ago, well actually to the time when NPA hitmen were targetting police-military and government officials, very few, if any, used such identifying special car plates that revealed their high official rank. In fact, there were the so-called security car plates, which are actually civilian car plates, to allow the user to move around unrecognized, and presumably out of danger, while on the streets.
But times have quickly changed. Those in power in government now, have taken the opposite stance, to reveal their power and their privilge, by having those special car plates, proudly announcing to one and all, here is a VIP.
It was only a matter of time before two such VIPs met on the road. And it did.
Notes:
How will concept of diplomatic immunity apply to the son of the ADB official?
From online sources, we find that there are several levels of diplomatic immunity. The highest rank are the diplomatic agents, together with their immediate family members, who are completely immune from criminal prosecution and for certain civil suits. Such immunity carries immunity from arrest, detention, questioning and being searched. The next rank, involving tecgnical staff, and then, ordinary staff have lower degrees of immunity which applies generally only to their officials acts.
In the case of the Asian Developmeny Bank, it is not a country or state, but as an international organization is afforded similar level of immunity, like officials of the UN, Asean, World Bank and others.
Offhand, we can say that the subject ADB economist is likely not of the highest diplomatic rank but probably second or even third level. It is notable though that whatever his level of immunity is extended to his son as an immediate family member.
An interesting fact, the ADB employs approximately 2,400 people, coming from 55 of its 67 member countries, and with more than half of the staff being Filipinos. So. one can venture to guess how many of them are in Metro Manila with diplomatic immunity.
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