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MANILA, Philippines – Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri believes on Friday that the Philippine ambassador to Brazil, Marichu Mauro, should be fired from her post and face “severe” penalties after she was accused of mistreating her Filipino housekeeper.
“She shouldn’t hold an ambassadorial post at this time,” the senator said in an online interview with reporters.
Zubiri said that Mauro could have violated three Philippine laws, namely the Law of the Republic No. 10361 or the Domestic Workers Law, Article 266 of the Revised Penal Code or the Law of Minor Physical Injury and Abuse and the Law of the Republic No. 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
“There is no justification for abusing a fellow Filipino, there is no justification for hurting someone,” he said.
Zubiri previously said that Mauro would have a difficult time being reassigned to another position abroad due to what happened.
“We must fix the image of our foreign service and the only way to do that is to act quickly and apply harsh sanctions to Ambassador Mauro,” Zubiri said.
“We will show the world that we will not tolerate this type of behavior so that it does not happen in other countries where there are so many OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) working there,” he added.
The Department of Foreign Relations (DFA) has now begun its investigation into the incident after it received the signal from President Rodrigo Duterte.
By virtue of article 51 of the Foreign Service Law, “the heads of mission who are commissioned by the President as extraordinary ambassadors and plenipotentiaries will not be investigated by the Junta [of Foreign Service Administration] or separated from the service unless there is an express directive in writing from the President “.
Mauro was called and ordered to return to Manila earlier this week to explain his version. [ac]
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