Aide Falls to His Death Inside Presidential Palace

An administrative aide has died after falling from the fourth-floor of a hall inside the Philippines presidential palace, officials have said.

The man, named as Mario Castro, worked at the Department of Information and Communications Technology, Malacanang Palace said.

Palace spokeswoman Trixie Cruz-Angeles told reporters his death is being investigated.

"[He died] from an apparent fall from the fourth floor of Mabini hall which is located inside the Malacañan compound," she said at a press conference on Thursday.

"We express our profound sorrow and condolences for the family of Mr. Mario Castro."

According to the latest WHO data, there were 3,861 deaths from falls in the Philippines in 2020, about half a percent of all deaths in the country.

Cruz-Angeles added: "We are looking at [it] because it happened inside the Malacanan compound and he is an employee and we will look at [all possibilities].

"His family and landlord are currently cooperating in the investigation."

Malacanan Palace, located in the capital, Manila, is the official residence of the Philippines' president.

Ferdinand Marcos Jr., son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr., won a landslide election victory in May, replacing outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte.

Marcos Jr. won almost 59 percent of the vote—more than double his nearest rival, Leni Robredo, on 28 percent.

Marcus Sr. was ousted in a pro-Democracy revolt known as the People Power Revolution in 1986 after two decades in power. He allegedly imprisoned about 70,000, torturing 34,000 and killing 3,200 of his own citizens after imposing martial law in the Philippines between 1972 and 1981, according to Amnesty International.

There have been questions about whether Marcus Jr. would be allowed to visit the U.S. because of a contempt order issued by the District Court of Hawaii in 2011 in connection to human rights abuses linked to his family's previous rule.

During a visit to the Philippines in June, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman confirmed Marcus Jr. would be protected by diplomatic immunity.

"The fact is when you are head of state, you have immunity in all circumstances and are welcomed to the United States in your official role," Sherman told reporters on June 9.

"When someone is head or state, they have [diplomatic] immunity and would be welcome in the United States."

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Manila, later told Reuters: "Under international law, a sitting head of state is granted comprehensive immunity from foreign jurisdiction," the spokesperson said.

"Therefore, a president will have immunity from U.S. jurisdiction, including when traveling in the United States."