Philippines in the media

[afuna]

By coincidence, I saw two videos today that mentioned the Philippines. I feel a strange jolt of recognition every time I hear my country's name mentioned. It doesn't happen often -- it is very strange that it happened twice today! -- and most of the time it's unflattering, but every time I hear someone on a show say the words "the Philippines", my focus shifts entirely to the next few words.

(It's like being in a crowded room, not really paying attention to your surroundings, and suddenly someone says your name -- that feeling).

Anyway, second instance was in a youtube video, a throwaway line about sending money. And first instance was in Dexter, a throwaway line about the Philippines not having an extradition treaty with the US, which, oops.


For context, the Philippines was under US rule for a bit less than fifty years, (after being under Spanish rule for a bit more than three hundred years). We gained our independence shortly after WWII, but have retained close international ties since... sorta, kinda. It's not quite an equal relationship given the status of both countries involved.

If you want to be charitable, the Philippines is the annoying younger brother tagging along with the cool teenage older brother who wants nothing to do with him. If you want to be slightly less so, the Philippines is an annoying puppy yipping at the heels of its master who ignores it most of the time.

It's pretty much a given that our government will bend over backwards for the US. That wasn't as true with our previous president who liked to play the part of a tough guy maverick, but our current president is quite happy to go along.

So anyway, extradition treaties? Totally within the scope of bending over backwards.


I all but yelled and pointed to my monitor when I heard that line. It was a huge moment of dissonance, and it spoiled the rest of the scene (like a fart in the middle of church service), which is sad, because it had been a pretty dramatic scene until then.

It is disorienting to be reminded that this country I live in, which is very real to me, is only an exotic place to some TV producers many people. Maybe worse: it's just a convenient name.

Comments

[helens78]

Ouch! How much work would it have been for them to look that up? Almost none, and yet they didn't. >_< *hugs you!*

[zvi]

ten seconds of work. googling "countries united states has extradition treaties" turned up this wikipedia list of US extradition treaties, which the Philippines is on.

ETC htmlfail

[jan]

Actually, the writers were right. While it is true that there is a mutual extradition treaty between the US and the Philippines, in cases like Dexter's it has been significantly undermined. Article 5 of the treaty [PDF link from the UN here: http://untreaty.un.org/unts/120001_144071/20/7/00016687.pdf] provides that the Philippines can refuse to extradite when the death penalty is sought.

When the extradition treaty was signed in 1994, the capital punishment was practiced in the Philippines. But Pres. Arroyo outlawed the death penalty in 2006. Florida (where the show is supposed to be set) is a major death penalty state; it would definitely seek capital punishment in Dexter's case.

In theory, Florida could still extradite by promising not to carry out the death penalty, even if he's convicted and sentenced to death. But to do so would be to give away the prosecution's most valuable bargaining chip for obtaining information about other victims. And, politically, that's a sticky wicket.

The capital punishment exception is contained in nearly every US extradition treaty, which makes it very difficult to extradite the most heinous of criminals -- like our beloved Dex. LOL

[zvi]

But an extradition treaty with a specific exception is different than not having an extradition treaty at all. I don't know who was speaking in Dexter or the exact nature of the conversation, so it may have made sense for them to elide that difference. I wouldn't expect anyone in the prosecutor's office to ignore that difference, though.

[jan]

Yes, you're right -- there is a difference. I've heard it described as "may as well be non-existent" because of the capital punishment exception, but an extradition treaty does exist. I don't recall the scene (I can't believe I missed that!), so I can only assume it was someone who was thinking specifically of Dexter's crimes* when he made the comment.

*alleged crimes, which are really just a public service, aren't they? *g*

[afuna]

Have you seen episode 4 yet? I can give you the quote if you have (it's a tiny bit spoilery *g*)

[jan]

Yes, I'm caught up to this week's ep. Please quote it! I wonder if I was taking a bite of sandwich at that moment or something. How could I have missed that? I'm a bit like you, in that hearing "Philippines" mentioned always draws my attention. (So does hearing "Diliman," which happened last week. My head whipped around so fast that I thought my neck would snap. And then I got homesick. *g*)

ETA: Was it Lundy speaking (about the Trinity Killer)? Because he irritates me, so I tend not to listen to his dialogue as closely.

[afuna]

Nope! It was when the criminal of the week wakes up and

BG: Help. *struggles* Help
Dexter: Sorry, I was just buying your tickets. You're taking a boat, out of the country. Eventually you'll land in the Philippines. Smart -- there's no extradition treaty there.

(highlight to read. Hiding in case it's a spoiler for anyone else *G*)

RE: Diliman

Yeah, Philippines, Manila... I don't actually live in Manila, but close enough that it triggers the same reaction that Philippines does.

Anyway, did you see the end of this episode? Well I mean, obviously you saw it, but you know?

[pauamma]

In theory, Florida could still extradite by promising not to carry out the death penalty, even if he's convicted and sentenced to death.

IIRC, there have been several people extradited from EU countries to the US with that condition attached to the extradition (or maybe with the condition that prosecution wouldn't request the death penalty - I'm unclear on that)