62 STAT.] PHILIPPINES-CONSULAR OFFICERS-MAR. 14, 1947 officers shall be exempt from military billetings, and from service of any military or naval, administrative or police character whatsoever, and the exemptions provided for by this sentence shall apply equally to employees in a consulate who are nationals of the High Contracting Party by which they are employed, and not engaged in any private occupation for gain. 2. In criminal cases the attendance at court by a consular officer as witness may be demanded by the plaintiff, the defense or the court. The demand shall be made with all possible respect for the consular dignity and the duties of the office, and when so made there shall be compliance on the part of the consular officer. 3. In civil cases, consular officers shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts in the territories of the High Contracting Party which receives them. When the testimony of a consular officer who is a national of the High Contracting Party which appoints him and who is not engaged in any private occupation for gain is taken in civil cases, it shall be taken orally or in writing at his residence or office and with due regard for his convenience. The officer should, how- ever, voluntarily give his testimony at court whenever it is possible to do so without serious interference with his official duties. 4. Consular officers and employees in a consulate shall not be re- quired to testify in criminal or civil cases, regarding acts performed by them in their official capacity. ARTICLE III 1. The Government of each High Contracting Party shall have the right to acquire and hold, lease and occupy land and buildings required for diplomatic or consular purposes in the territories of the other High Contracting Party, and shall have the right to erect buildings on land which is held by or on behalf of such Government in the territories of the other High Contracting Party for diplomatic or consular purposes, subject to local building regulations. 2. No tax of any kind, national, state, provincial or municipal, shall be levied in the territories of either High Contracting Party on the Government of the other High Contracting Party, or on any officer or employee of such other High Contracting Party, in respect of land or buildings acquired, leased, or occupied by such other High Contracting Party and used exclusively for the conduct of official business, except assessments levied for services or local public im- provements by which the premises are benefited, provided the right of each High Contracting Party to tax the owner of property leased to the other High Contracting Party is not hereby abridged. ARTICLE IV Consular officers and employees in a consulate, nationals of the High Contracting Party by which they are appointed or employed, and not engaged in any private occupation for gain within the terri- tories in which they exercise their functions, shall be exempt from all taxes, national, state, provincial and municipal, levied on their persons or property, except taxes levied on account of the possession or owner- 1595 Attendance at court as witness. Land and building rights. Exemption from taxes.
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