Liangv.

People
DateofPromulgation:January28,2000
Petition:ReviewoncertiorariofadecisionoftheRTCofPasigCity
Petitioner:JeffreyLiang(Huefeng)
Respondent:PeopleofthePhilippines
Facts:
JeffreyLiangwaschargedbyfellowADBworkerJoyceCabalfortwocountsof
graveoraldefamationintheMeTCofMandaluyong.Hisbailwasfixedat
P2,400.
TheMeTCjudgedreceivedanofficeofprotocolfromtheDFAstatingthat
petitioneriscoveredbyimmunityfromlegalprocessundersection45ofthe
AgreementbetweentheADBandthePhilippineGovernmentregardingthe
HeadquartersofADB.
Consequently,theMeTCjudgedismissedthetwocriminalcaseswithout
notifyingtheprosecution.Prosecutionfiledforamotionforreconsiderationand
wasdenied.ProsecutionfiledapetitionforcertiorariandmandamuswithRTC
andtheMeTCrulingsweresetaside.
Petitionerfiledamotionforreconsiderationandwasdenied.Hencethispetition
(furtherarguingthatnopreliminaryinvestigationwasheldbeforethecriminal
caseswerefiledincourt).
Issue:
WoNthepetitionersactioniscoveredbyimmunityundertheagreementNO
Ruling:
1. Theimmunitymentionedhereinisnotabsolutebutsubjecttotheexceptionthat
theactwasdoneinofficialcapacity.Theprosecutionshouldhavebeengiven
thechancetorebuttheDFAprotocolbypresentingcontrovertingevidence.
2. Slanderingapersoncouldnotpossiblybecoveredbytheimmunitybecauseour
lawsdonotallowthecommissionofacrimeinthenameofofficialduty.
Held:PetitionisDENIED.
ANNOTATION:VariousCategoriesofDiplomaticImmunity
1. HistoricalBackgroundofDiplomaticImmunity
Ambassadorswereregardedaspersonalrepresentativesofthekingsor
princes
Exterrioriality:theambassadorandhissuite,togetherwithhisresidence,
werelegallyoutsidetheterritoryofthestate
2. ViennaConventiononDiplomaticandConsularRelations

1961ViennaConventiononDiplomaticRelations:codifiedthelawon
diplomaticintercourse
1963ViennaConventiononConsularRelations:providesthelawin
consularimmunitiesandprivileges
AbsoluteandRelativeImmunity
ClassicalorAbsoluteImmunity:Aforeignsovereigncouldnot,withouthis
consent,bemadeadefendantinthecourtsofanothersovereign.
RestrictiveorRelativeImmunity:Exemptioninprosecutiononlyappliesto
sovereignorpublicactsofstateandnotnecessarilywithrespecttoprivate
acts.
TheoryofAbsoluteImmunity
Regardlessofwhetheranindividualisconstitutionallytheactualheadofa
stateoronlyitsnominalhead,heorsheenjoyscompleteimmunityfromall
civilorcriminalprosecutionintheterritoryofanotherstate.
ImmunitiesofDiplomaticAgents
Headsofdiplomaticmissions(ambassadors,nuncios,internuncios,charges
daffaires)areexemptfromtheexerciseoflocaljurisdictionandenjoy
personalinviolability
Remedy:considerhimapersonanongrataandwillbeaskedtoleavethe
country.Ifherefuses,hewillbetreatedasanordinaryindividualsubjectto
locallaws.
ImmunitiesofConsuls
Consulsdonotenjoyimmunityfromlocaljurisdictionformprivateor
commercialtransactionsnotconnectedwiththeirconsularduties
HonoraryConsuls
Honoraryconsulsareappointedtoperformlimitedcurriculardutiesby
agreementamongstates.
Theirimmunityislimitedtotheminimumlevelnecessaryfortheproper
exerciseofofficialconsularfunctions.
Consularemployeesatapostheadedbyanhonoraryconsulandmembersof
thehonoraryconsulsfamilyaregrantednoneoftheprivileges.
ImmunityofOfficialsRepresentingaSovereignState
Officersrepresentingthesovereignstateareexemptedfromlocal
jurisdiction.
ImmunityofOfficialsofInternationalOrganizations
OfficersinUNagenciesenjoyimmunitiesfromlocaljurisdiction(e.g.
immunityfromsearch;freedomtoholdfunds;exemptionfromtax;
exemptionfromallformsofcensorship).
JudgesoftheInternationalCourtofjusticeenjoydiplomaticprivilegesand
immunities.
RepresentativesoftheEuropeanEconomicCommunityandtheEuropean
AtomicEnergy(EURATOM)possesscustomarydiplomaticprivilegesand
immunities.

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9.

Membersofspecialdiplomaticmissionsenjoyprivilegesininternational
law,exceptinrespectofpersonalactions,orprofessionalorcommercial
activities.
10. ImmunityofIntergovernmentalInternationalOrganizations
InternationalOrganizationsenjoysfunctionalindependenceandfreedom
fromcontrolofthestateinwhoseterritoryitislocated.
Thisistosecurethemlegalandpracticalindependenceintheperformance
oftheirduties.
11. ImmunityofNonGovernmentalInternationalOrganizations
Byagreementwiththegovernment,nongovernmentalinternational
organizationsareexemptedfromlocaljurisdictioninordertogivethem
freedomintheperformanceofmeritoriousservicestoassistcountries.
12. DoctrineofRestrictiveImmunity
Restrictiveimmunitylimitssovereignimmunitytopublicactsandexcludes
allcommercialorprivateacts.
13. ImmunityofAdHocDiplomats
Membersofofficialmissionsanddelegatestravelingabroadtoattend
internationalconferenceareaccordeddiplomaticimmunitywhileinthe
performanceoftheirofficialfunctions.Restrictiveimmunityappliestothem
foractsnotdirectlyconnectedwiththeirofficialduties.
14. ProperProcedureintheJeffreyLiangCase
Themunicipalcourtshouldhaveinquiredwhetherthepetitionerhad
committedthecrimeinconnectionwiththeperformanceofhisofficial
dutiesasanofficeroftheADB.