Zubiri doubts PH envoy will get another posting after maltreating Filipino helper

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Marichu Mauro will likely not get another foreign posting after she was caught on video maltreating her Filipino household helper, Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Friday.

“I doubt very much that she can seek another posting with what has happened. Being a member of the Commission on Appointments, we’ll see to it that this will not go unpunished,” Zubiri said in an interview over CNN Philippines.

“To be posted into another embassy will need the approval of the Commission of Appointments…If she goes through a Commission of Appointments once again, we will stop the appointment due to these reasons,” he added.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has opened its probe into the alleged abusive conduct of Mauro following the go signal given by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Mauro was recalled and ordered to immediately return to the Philippines to explain the incident after Brazilian news outlet GloboNews released a video footage where she appeared to be maltreating her household help multiple times on different occasions inside her residence.

“When I saw the CCTV footage I was absolutely horrified that somebody of that position, which is supposed to protect the Filipinos overseas from maltreatment, is herself maltreating and abusing her own personnel,” Zubiri went on.

“It was just horrifying to see and it sent shockwaves not only in the Philippine but all over the international community,” he added.

Meanwhile, Zubiri commended the DFA for its immediate action on the matter.

He said he no longer sees a need to conduct a separate Senate investigation on the alleged abuse since the DFA already took action immediately.

“It might not be necessary if the action is swift on the part of the DFA. Usually nagkakaroon po kami [ng imbestigasyon] sa senado ‘pag hindi po gumagalaw ang ahensya ng gobyerno,” he added.

Zubiri also expressed hope that his incident will not taint the image of the DFA overseas.

“There are a lot of great ambassadors and there are a lot of great individuals in the foreign affairs department, so I hope that this one incident will not permanently damage the image of the department abroad,” the senator said.

“It’s a bit of an international incident against us, against the Filipinos. It’s a black eye to the foreign affairs department,” he added.

/MUF