The Philippine department of foreign affairs today recieved a formal complaint from two young women – office workers – who were nearly run over by a American diplomat rushing to a red light district restaurant near the business district of Makati City.
Radio and television reports confirm police spoke with the diplomat who invoked his immunity from prosecution and then processded to verbally abuse Police officers as well.
Until members of the PNP diplomatic security unit was called in on the request of the regional security office of the state department who politely prevented the diplomats arrest..
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs confirms that on Thursday. a formal complaint from Princess Cordova was recieved by its offices.
The DFA spokeman says that in the womans complaint, they alleged " US Embassy Second Secretary Dean Chang; was aragant and insulting even after nearly ran over them with his car along Jupiter Street in Makati City."
In an effort to obtain a formal appology Cordova filed a grievance letter, which seeks a only a public apology from the official, with the DFA. US diplomats have imunity from prosecution – but – there are systems in place to allow for formal complaints.
After reports of threats made versus others who have filed complaints versus forign embassy officals the alleged victim has also has asked for a "letter from the US Embassy assuring that she will be protected from any retributory action that may stem from her complaint." Chang is reportedly a ’embassy favorite’ but a diplomatic security official who spoke with me on condition of anonimity noted he is ‘a headache and there’s more of these types we have to deal with every day." A pending police complaint with the Makati police headquarters is also on file.
However,Chang’s diplomatic immunity and the intercession of the regional security office whose job it is to coordinate with local police when Police have reports on Diplomats were present.
A call to the US embassy press office by this writer was rejected for coment and later a unkown caller using similar explatives alledly used by Chan used telling me to back of this story "Or else".
The caller had a blocked number ‘unkown’ when they reached this writer. It is unclear who it came from and could have been a prank.
But the realitty is Diplomats do go wild it seems when far from DC and even Americans themselves are often among those they offend. One of the worst reported cases of misbehavior can in mid 1990’s when a husband of a state department officail posted as consular officail was sent home after allegations of abuse in a sex-for-visa scandal that led to federal charges.
The US taxpayer on average spends roughly $10,000 a month to house and maintain diplomats abroad. At time leasing homes and providing drivers and servants to officials of missions overseas. Often lifestyles that the same people never enjoyed in the USA.
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