Stranded in Manila: Palau Pres. Refused to be Frisked Before Boarding Cont. Airlines

**chua_riwap** · April 3rd, 2008 06:37 PM

Nakakatawa naman ito. Head of State pa naman siya ng Palau. Does this mean he's excempted from this procedure? Mahigpit pala ang CA. Walang sini-sino.

Dapat nagdala siya ng sarili nyang plane.

ABS-CBNNews.com
3 April 2008

Stranded Palau Leader, Finally Set to Leave

The President of the Pacific island of Palau who was left stranded in Manila on a state visit after he refused to be frisked before boarding a commercial flight is finally set to leave Thursday.

A report reaching ABS-CBN News said that President Tommy Remengesau is en route to Villamor Air Base to board a private plane that was reportedly arranged by the Palau government.

While stranded in Manila, Remengesau was reportedly accompanied by officials of the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs and security from the Presidential Security Group.

Remengesau was left stranded after he refused to be frisked before boarding a Continental Airlines flight Wednesday night.The flight departed Manila around 10 p.m. leaving the Palau leader and his wife behind.

The plane had to return after midnight after the control tower at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport received a call saying there was a bomb on board. No explosives were found, according to retired general Atilano Morada, airport security chief.

The Continental Airlines flight, with stop-offs in Palau, Yap and a final landing in Guam, departed again at around 5 a.m. with 140 passengers on board. Remengesau and his wife were still not among them.

Earlier, Continental Airlines had insisted that Remengesau be patted down before boarding the commercial flight much to the dismay of the VIP party, including Philippine Vice-President Noli de Castro, who were on hand to bid him farewell after a two-day state visit.

"We expected better treatment accorded to a head of state," Ramon Rechebei, the Palau ambassador to the Philippines, told Reuters. "The airline demanded that he be frisked before entering the plane otherwise he would not be allowed to enter."

"So, we decided that he should not go through," said Rechebei, adding that Palau may make a formal complaint about Continental through diplomatic channels.

A report reaching ABS-CBN News said that Maximina Cabantog, Continental Airlines manager explained that the airline is required to follow the policy of the US Transportation Security Administration to have all passengers of US-bound planes to undergo body frisking. The Continental Airlines flight's final destination was Guam which is a US territory.

**Isuzoom** · April 3rd, 2008 09:50 PM

diplomatic protocol lang sana...tsk..tsk..

**redorange** · April 3rd, 2008 10:21 PM

Should have used a private plane instead of a commercial aircraft if he didn't want to be searched either that or his country can buy their own plane. It's a US commercial aircraft so he is subject to the rules and regulations of the company regardless of who he is and what he does.

**cutedoc** · April 4th, 2008 12:36 AM

a protocol is a protocol unless otherwise specified that the head of state are immune to these regulations.

**Memphis Raines** · April 4th, 2008 11:23 AM

Nabasa nya siguro yung tungkol sa nangyari kay John Estrada

........................................:gun:..... .........................................

**shadow** · April 4th, 2008 11:53 AM

Originally Posted by Isuzoom

diplomatic protocol lang sana...tsk..tsk..

+1...OA lang sila masyado....nakusap na nga rin si VP noli eh..wala pa rin...

eh sino ba pinaka OA sa ganyan mga diplomatic immunity eh di US rin...will Pres Bush be allowed to be search kung dumating siya dito sa airport natin, pwede rin ba i-search yun airforce one?

eh yun pumunta dito si Bush kulang na lang isara buong Pilipinas just to accomodate him...

sabagay come to think of it...kailangan nga nilang maghigpit dahil nalusutan na sila sa 9/11...hehehe

**Galactus** · April 4th, 2008 01:33 PM

Wala sa lugar yung paghihigpit ng airline. Heads of state, AFAIK, are immune from frisking, even if he is boarding a commercial flight. Hindi naman ganun kayaman ang Palau for their government to buy their own plane. Nagpa-frisk naman ang mga ministers, so dapat in-exempt na yung Presidente. After all, he was on an official state visit, and he was vouched for by our VP.

**chua_riwap** · April 4th, 2008 01:58 PM

OT

Sana pinalusot na lang ng CA yung Palau Pres. para wala na naging problema. Pero bilib din ako sa staff ng CA. Pres. yung tinalo. Walang pinipili sa policy nila.

**Lucius** · April 4th, 2008 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by shadow

+1...OA lang sila masyado....nakusap na nga rin si VP noli eh..wala pa rin...

eh sino ba pinaka OA sa ganyan mga diplomatic immunity eh di US rin...will Pres Bush be allowed to be search kung dumating siya dito sa airport natin, pwede rin ba i-search yun airforce one?

eh yun pumunta dito si Bush kulang na lang isara buong Pilipinas just to accomodate him...

sabagay come to think of it...kailangan nga nilang maghigpit dahil nalusutan na sila sa 9/11...hehehe

Nakalusot or PINALUSOT? Hehehehe

Parang wala namang respect sa government and president ng Palau kasi yun.