MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs disowned Tuesday statements supposedly from its Career Officer Corps and the Retired Ambassadors Association which expressed “full support” for embattled Philippine ambassador Marichu Mauro.
The DFA said it is not aware of the existence of those organizations and that their statements do not "reflect the position of the department nor the sentiment of its career corps."
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"The department stands by its resolve to respond to the matter in accordance with, and to the fullest extent of the law," the DFA said in a statement.
READ: Locsin promises 'severe' response to recalled envoy's alleged maltreatment of staff
Mauro was recalled as Philippine ambassador to Brazil after she was caught on video assaulting her Filipino house help. The ambassador is back in the Philippines, according to Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro “Teddyboy” Locsin Jr.
The groups claiming to be the DFA Career Officer Corps and the Retired Ambassadors Association said the “single incident,” which was first reported by Brazilian news outfit Globo News, "should not define the character of Ambassador Mauro."
"She has a very distinguished service record that spans three decades in promoting the welfare of our migrant workers, which is one of the three pillars of our foreign policy," the groups said, as reported by The STAR.
The groups also said that Mauro should be accorded due process instead of being “vilified” in the media. — Xave Gregorio