Heads of state, such as President-Elect Bongbong Marcos, can freely enter the United States due to diplomatic immunity, according to Wendy Sherman, US Deputy Secretary of State.
“When someone is head of state, they have [diplomatic] immunity and would be welcome in the United States,” Sherman told reporters, according to GMA News’ JP Soriano.
Sherman made the statement in response to the question of whether President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. will be allowed to go to the US amid a contempt judgment that has prevented him from entering the country for years.
A contempt court order hampers Marcos’ relations with the United States for his unwillingness to cooperate with the District Court of Hawaii, which ordered the Marcos family to pay $2 billion of the plundered wealth of Marcos Sr.’s tyranny in 1995.
On Thursday, Sherman met with Marcos and discussed ways to deepen the US-Philippine partnership.
During their meeting, Sherman said in a tweet that they covered the economy, human rights, and a free Indo-Pacific region.
Marcos Jr. can go to US using diplomatic immunity – US Deputy Secretary
“I was pleased to meet and congratulate President-elect Marcos. We discussed strengthening our longstanding alliance, expanding people-to-people ties, deepening our economic relationship, advancing human rights, and preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific,” Sherman said.
According to US Department of State spokesperson Ned Price, Sherman and Marcos have agreed on the necessity of collaborating “to strengthen our economies, including the importance of public-private partnerships, clean energy, and our digital economy.”
“The Deputy Secretary and the President-elect highlighted the importance of the US-Philippine Alliance to security and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and the world and the importance of fostering respect for human rights and rule of law in the Philippines,” Price said in a press release.
“They discussed opportunities for our two nations to deepen our alliance and friendship and seize new opportunities to deliver for our people in the years to come,” he added.
Also present in the meeting were the Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez, incoming Executive Secretary Vic Rodriguez, and Department of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro.
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