The government’s response to the case of Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Marichu Mauro who was caught on CCTV physically abusing her Filipina household staff will be “severe to the fullest extent of the law,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. assured on Wednesday.
(PCOO / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
In a series of tweets, Locsin said the DFA will be firm in meting out the appropriate sanctions and administrative or criminal charges on Mauro if the results of their investigation will demand for such.
“Rest assured, the DFA's response on this matter will be severe to the fullest extent of the law especially when it involves a high ranking DFA official setting an example to ensure that matters like these will never be tolerated,” the foreign affairs chief said in his tweets.
It was earlier learned that the DFA is now in the process of forming a panel that will investigate Mauro as soon as she returns to the country around the first week of November.
Before the conduct of an official probe on Mauro could even kick-off, the DFA secretary said they will first get an authority from the Office of the President to proceed “or it will be an exercise in futility.”
When asked to explain the need for an authority to investigate one of their own, DFA spokesperson Ivy Abalos cited Section 51 of Republic Act 7157, the Philippine Foreign Service Act of 1991, that requires an express written consent from the President before a chief of mission can be investigated or separated from service.
Locsin said the recall of Mauro will enable the DFA to conduct an “expedient and thorough investigation” into the physical abuse perpetrated by the lady envoy against her household staff as shown in the CCTV footage recently aired by the Brazilian news outfit, Globo News.
He maintained that his office will not tolerate “in any way whatsoever actions” by any of its ranking officers or staff that go against their primary mandate of promoting and protecting the welfare of overseas Filipinos.
“Let me reiterate, the Department of Foreign Affairs is giving this matter its utmost attention, true to its core mission of protecting the rights and promoting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers,” he said.
While the DFA is still in the process of composing the probe panel, Locsin said they are now also reviewing the policy of allowing Filipino diplomats to take Filipino domestic helpers from the Philippines rather than hiring them locally in their foreign posts.