‘Enraging’ attack on Fil-Am to influence PH foreign policy

MANILA – Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin, Jr. said the attack against a 65-year old Filipino-American in New York City, the latest violent incident following a rise in hate crimes in the United States, will influence the country’s foreign policy.

“This is gravely noted and will influence Philippine foreign policy. I might as well say it, so no one on the other side can say, ‘We didn’t know you took racial brutality against Filipinos at all seriously.’ We do,” he said in a tweet Wednesday.

In a prior tweet, Locsin also described the assault as “enraging”.

“That’s not heartbreaking, that’s enraging. And what goes around and kicks a lot will come around and get kicked backed a lot,” he said.

Philippine Ambassador to Washington D.C. Jose Manuel Romualdez said the Filipina had serious injuries and was badly shaken. The Philippine Consulate General in New York is now in touch with the victim.

“Our Consulate in New York is in touch with her. She’s shaken but alright so far,” he said in a text message.

He added that the Philippine Embassy, together with other Southeast Asian diplomats have expressed their “strongest concern” to the White House in the face of rising anti-Asian violence in the US.

“We have already communicated strong concern to the White House about these hate crimes. We have banded together with our Asean brothers to express the same serious concern,” he said.

In a viral video from a closed-circuit television, the Filipina was seen walking along a sidewalk in Manhattan when an unidentified man kicked her, knocking her to the ground and stamped on her head several times while making anti-Asian remarks.

The Biden administration earlier laid out plans to respond against said attacks, including fundings programs for domestic violence survivors from Asian American communities and the creation of a task force subcommittee to ensure that America’s pandemic response mitigates anti-Asian xenophobia and bias.