Consul General Cecilia B. Rebong said no rule or policy was violated when she selected Trump Towers (Trump World Tower at UN Plaza — Editor) on First Avenue in Manhattan as her official residence.

In a letter to Filipino Reporter publisher and editor-in-chief Bert Pelayo, Rebong said there was no available government-owned residence for her when she assumed her post in 2003 and that only Trump Towers met the criteria she was looking for, including its acceptance of diplomats like her who are protected by diplomatic immunity.

“Even as I continue to maximize the opportunities provided by my current official residence in pursuing legitimate Philippine national interests, I continue to make regular searches and inquiries for other possible accommodation that could address our needs and challenges for less cost,” Rebong states.

The following is the full text of Rebong’s letter:

“At the outset, I would like to assure the public that in renting my official, not personal, residence, every effort was taken to ensure that the Philippine Government receives the value of its expenditure and that all laws, rules and regulations were observed in the process. This was a process that included a collegial examination and consideration of the lease contract by the appropriate offices of the Department, approval by then Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia D. Albert, and the passing of the required auditing and accounting requirements.

“When I assumed my post as Consul General in late 2003, there was no available government-owned residence for the Consul General in New York. While there was the Philippine Government townhouse on East 66th Street in Manhattan, the first three floors of the building were already occupied by the Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations. The upper three floors, on the other hand, were in a state of disrepair and needed major renovation work. An architectural firm has started the necessary work and renovation is scheduled to start soon. Once the renovation work is completed, I will move to the townhouse as was the original plan. Meantime, I needed to find quarters that met the following criteria:

“a. It had to be near or close to the Philippine Consulate General in Manhattan;

“b. It had to be centrally located to facilitate the holding of official and community functions;

“c. The Landlord or building management had to accept diplomats like myself as tenants;

“d. The Landlord or building management recognized and allowed the insertion of the “diplomatic clause”; and

“e. The rent was within the range authorized by the Department of Foreign Affairs and comparable to rates given to previous Consuls General in New York.

The first two criteria ensure more smooth and uninterrupted performance of official and community functions. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Philippine Consulate General in New York is open 24/7, 365 days a year. Often, our presence is required at the Consulate — quick and fast — such that living close to the Consulate becomes a job description and not just a matter of convenience for any Philippine Consul assigned to the Philippine Consulate General in New York.

“As part of my duties, I have hosted functions and meetings with American investors, community leaders, government officials, cultural leaders, members of the media, as well as with other diplomats and consular officials at my current residence. Such functions and meetings are intended to build goodwill and close, personal ties in pursuing our interests: from securing investments, tourism and trade, updating officials on developments in our country, promoting Philippine culture, ensuring that employers give Filipino employees their just due, and helping build close ties without and within the Filipino community.

“The third criterion is necessitated by the fact that in New York City, landlords seem averse to diplomats because of their diplomatic immunity. Even the condominium building where a Philippine Permanent Representative and Consul General lived in the 80s and 90s, respectively, no longer accepts diplomats as tenants.

“The fourth criterion is related to the third and it involves the so-called diplomatic clause. This clause is inserted in lease contracts for the protection of the sending government (in my case, the Philippine Government). It simply states that I, as tenant, can terminate the lease contract at anytime before the maturity of the lease contract without exposing the Philippine Government to any fine or penalty if termination is for official reasons.

“The fifth criterion is a fiscal and legal function. The Department of Foreign Affairs carefully scrutinizes lease contracts such as the one I have for my official residence before giving its final approval to make sure these contracts are consistent with existing government rules and regulations.

“All five criteria were followed when, finally, I settled on a two-bedroom apartment at the Trump Towers along First Avenue. There were other choices but none came even close to meeting all five criteria mentioned above.

“Finally, let me stress that New York City is one of the most expensive cities in the world. We do not, of course, relish this fact but just the same, it is a reality that we must daily contend with. In so doing, we do not seek things that are the most expensive. Rather, we go after those that pass certain government criteria such as those I have mentioned above.

“Please allow me to close by saying that even as I continue to maximize the opportunities provided by my current official residence in pursuing legitimate Philippine national interests, I continue to make regular searches and inquiries for other possible accommodation that could address our needs and challenges for less cost.

“Thank you for giving me the opportunity to air my side.”