Cold Turkey

Today is the 90th Anniversary of the Republic Day of Turkey, but it looks like the brewing controversy over Turkish Ambassador Hatice Pinar Isik’s rented Embassy residence – located at #82 Cambridge Circle in North Forbes – will not exactly make for a happy celebration. Legal experts warned that the new owner of the property would not be liable if anything happened to guests while they are in the residence.

If one could remember, the Forbes Park property was the subject of a bitter legal battle between former Bulacan mayor Ricardo “Carding” Silverio Sr. and his son, Ricardo “Ricky” Silverio Jr. – with the Supreme Court eventually deciding with finality that Ricky Jr. is the real owner. As it turned out, polo sportsman Iñigo Zobel bought the multimillion-peso mansion in good faith and now wants to occupy the property – something that he had wanted to do over the last two years. But for some reason, the Turkish Ambassador lately has been refusing to vacate the Cambridge residence and giving the legitimate owner the cold shoulder.

Our sources at the Department of Foreign Affairs informed us that the DFA had previously called the attention of Ambassador Isik over the delicate matter and she reportedly agreed, even requesting to meet with Iñigo when he comes home after his trip to Spain. Apparently, the meeting she requested had already taken place but now, she is once again adamantly refusing to comply with the agreement to vacate the residence at the end of the lease period.

The same sources disclosed that the Turkish Embassy’s lease for the property ends this November, approximately a month before Ambassador Isik’s tour of duty in the Philippines finishes this December – which is also why the legitimate owner wants the Ambassador to formally inform her government that the current Embassy residence will no longer be rented out since the owner already wants to move in.

In fact, Iñigo – in the interest of “diplomacy” – is even allowing her to stay on until the end of the year, and the only condition for this gracious concession is for the Ambassador to formally inform her government about the situation regarding the rented property in Cambridge Circle. But apparently, the Turkish Ambassador has decided that inaction is the best action, “undiplomatically” refusing to formally turn over the property to Zobel before she leaves, saying she does not want to be bothered by such matters – conveniently (for her) and irresponsibly preferring to leave the problem in the hands of her successor, our sources tell us.

An international law expert tells us that the continued refusal of the Ambassador to turn over the property to the legitimate owner (plus having received word from the DFA to comply with a lawful request) could prove to be very embarrassing for the Turkish government. While it is true that diplomats have the privilege of diplomatic immunity, it definitely does not give them the right or the excuse to violate the laws of the host country and abuse the rights of local residents, the lawyer said, adding that the Turkish Ambassador’s stubborn refusal to vacate #82 Cambridge Circle may ruin her diplomatic career.

People privy to the situation say they can’t understand why it’s being so difficult for Ambassador Hatice Pinar Isik to simply inform her foreign ministry that the lease for the Turkish Embassy Residence is no longer going to be renewed to give her government time to look for another rental property. Doing so would save the incoming new Turkish ambassador the potential embarrassment of being left out in the cold, abruptly needing to look for a new Embassy Residence just because his predecessor has decided to act like a “cold turkey,” giving Iñigo Zobel the cold shoulder treatment.

Spy tidbit: Double lawbreaker – double jeopardy

One of our citizen “Spybits”  who always makes it a point to be armed with a smartphone took a photo of this policeman riding a motorcycle without the requisite crash helmet while allowing what seemed to be a minor to drive the vehicle.

The photo, taken along Gilmore St. in Quezon City, is an obvious violation of the traffic laws of the country that one, require both motorcycle drivers and riders to wear crash helmets and two, does not allow improperly licensed or unlicensed persons to drive any vehicle (which is most likely the case with the driver who appears to be a very young boy). This photo is clear proof that this cop is a double lawbreaker and worse, puts his life and that of the young driver’s in double jeopardy.  

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