Migrante International is appalled and outraged by the sheer cruelty of Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Marichu Mauro. Mauro made life for her household staff a living hell and we call on the Philippine government to cancel her diplomatic immunity and to press criminal charges for physically abusing her 51 year old household worker. Mauro’s violations should be raised before the ombudsman to strip off her right to claim retirement and other benefits. Most of all, Mauro should be placed behind bars.
Since Duterte’s branch of government has been a dumpsite of rubbish officials, crooks and abhorrent reprobates who usually get recycled to other positions after they get busted in their offenses, we call on the Department of Foreign Affairs to ensure that Mauro will not re-emerge as an appointed official in DFA or in other government agencies. Mauro must be banned forever from holding any position in government.
We call on DFA, OWWA, DOLE and other relevant government agencies to ensure that the victim gets her wages, benefits and compensation. Immediate assistance must be extended to her family as well. The mental health of the distressed OFW should likewise be addressed through psychosocial services.
Desiring to escape poverty in the Philippines, Filipino migrants endure hardships just to provide a better future for their families. They expect appointed diplomats and embassy officials to uphold their rights and welfare as they work and reside in other countries. OFWs are no strangers to grievous behaviours of Philippine embassy and consulate officials. Just this year, Migrante International received reports about corruption and extortion activities involving embassy officials in Syria, maltreatment of distressed OFWs by embassy officials in Saudi Arabia and the attempt by MECO officials in Taiwan to deport a Filipino caregiver for merely expressing her criticisms of the Duterte regime.
This recent report of another Filipino migrant woman being abused shows that violence against women is rife not only in the Philippines but also in host countries were OFWs are peddled as cheap labourers by the Philippine government. President Duterte himself admitted before national television that he sexually abused their housemaid. The shaming and harassment of Filipino women is being normalized by a misogynist and machofascist Duterte regime. Migrante International demands perpetrator accountability and an end to violence against migrants and Filipino women.
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