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DFA urged to declare Poland vice-consul ‘persona non-grata’ for alleged ‘discriminatory’ remarks

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). Photo from their Facebook web page

MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker is urging the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to declare Poland vice-consul Bartosz Wozniczko and an unidentified “boss” as persona non-grata for their alleged “discriminatory” statements hurled towards Filipinos following a highway accident.

In submitting House Resolution No. 1559 on Monday, Zambales Rep. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla mentioned that Wozniczko “willfully, maliciously and feloniously evaded arrest” by members of Candelaria police following a hit-and-run case within the province.

What occurred?

In her privilege speech throughout Monday’s House session, Montalla mentioned Wozniczko figured in a hit-and-run accident in Barangay Malimanga in Candelaria city in Zambales on February 6.

Montalla, citing a police report, mentioned {that a} Filipino motorbike driver, with a feminine driving on horseback, overtook a sidecar. However, a black Kia car immediately appeared from behind and overtook the sidecar as effectively.

The Kia car bumped the bottom of the motorbike, which tumbled. Instead of serving to, nonetheless, the motive force of the Kia driver escaped and sped away, mentioned Montalla.

Montalla mentioned the Kia car was later intercepted in Masinloc city. She added that she despatched her authorized group to the sector to help the survivor-passenger and survivor-driver who referred to as her workplace.

“At 6 pm, the two lawyers arrived at the checkpoint in Masinloc. There they saw the driver of the Kia Grand Carnival. Upon introduction of themselves to the driver, the driver showed his Vice-Consul ID and arrogantly said that he is ‘above the law,’” Montalla mentioned.

“Invoking the Vienna Convention of 1963, he argued that he is immune from suit and that the PNP cannot do anything about it! However, when asked about his immunity papers and other documents to prove that he is in the exercise of his official function, he did not show anything to either the members of the PNP or my legal team,” the lawmaker added.

INQUIRER.internet continues to be ready for a duplicate of the police report cited by Montalla from the Candelaria PNP as of posting time. Nonetheless, Candelaria PNP desk officer Pat Christine Mestica confirmed to INQUIRER.internet that the police report being cited by Montalla was the identical copy as theirs.

Remarks made

Montalla mentioned the authorized group tried to sway Wozniczko to a compromise deal that’s acceptable to each events to keep away from litigation.

However, the lawmaker mentioned the consul official “conceitedly and abrasively told my legal team, in the presence of the members of Masinloc PNP and some by-standers, that he will only shell out a measly sum of P10,000.00 to the victims because “they are poor, anyway!”

Montalla mentioned that it was at this level that one other individual, who appeared to be the motive force’s “boss” alighted, from the automotive and threatened the members of the PNP that he would report the “harassment” of the police to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

The consul official additionally averred that “’Filipinos are scammers’ and that what my legal team and the PNP are doing was a form of extortion,” mentioned Montalla.

“Not content with his verbal insults to them and talking in the most reprehensible manner, he further said that he will make sure that Filipinos will never get European visas and that his government will see Filipinos in a bad light after that incident!” Montalla mentioned.

“Beyond the legalities of this horrible incident, what totally abhors me are the discriminatory statements of the said Vice-Consul and his unidentified ‘boss’ toward us, Filipinos,” Montalla added.

A name to Locsin

Following the incident, Montalla filed House Resolution No. 1559 calling on Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. to declare Wozniczko and the unidentified ‘boss’ to be declared persona non grata within the nation.

“My dear colleagues, we must not allow anything more than this incident! We cannot let this disgraceful act of Vice Consul Wozniczko and his unidentified ‘boss’ pass – not today, not in Zambales and definitely not in the Philippines, ever,” Montalla mentioned.

“Mr. Speaker, I am filing a House Resolution urging DFA Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. to declare Vice Consul Bartosz Wozniczko and his ‘boss’ persona non grata while we take the necessary legal actions to hold him accountable for the crime that he committed in my district and in our country and for their conducts that are inimical to our people and our nation,” she added.

INQUIRER.internet has reached out to the Embassy of Poland in Manila for a remark however has but to obtain a response as of posting time.