Palace respects Taiwan’s refusal to deport OFW critical of PRRD

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the deportation is a decision to be made solely by Taiwanese authorities. (PCOO file photo)

MANILA – Malacañang on Wednesday said it respects the decision of Taiwan rejecting the deportation of the Filipino caregiver who allegedly criticized the Philippine government’s coronavirus disease (Covid-19) response on social media.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the deportation is a decision to be made solely by Taiwanese authorities.

“We respect that decision and of course, in the same way that we will enforce our law on all foreigners while they are under our jurisdiction,” Roque said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC).

In a press briefing on Tuesday, Taiwanese authorities said they will not deport the Filipino caregiver because she did not violate their laws and regulations.

Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Ou Jiangan emphasized that workers in Taiwan are protected by their laws and regulations.

Angelito Banayo, the Philippine government’s representative in Taiwan, on Monday, said there were no instructions to arrange the deportation of the Filipina caregiver.

Banayo, Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) chairman, also noted that deportation is “not within the prerogative of a foreign government like the Philippines,”

On Sunday, Roque denied that the government is seeking the deportation of a Filipino caregiver in Taiwan for alleged cyber libel.

“Wala pong katunayan na tayo mismo ang naghingi ng deportation na yan kasi hindi naman po natin pinakikialaman yung mga milyon milyong OFWs at lahat ng kanilang sinasabi dahil dito po sa ating bayan ay meron naman tayong karapatan ng malayang pananalita (There is no truth that we are the ones who sought for her deportation because we do not interfere with the millions of OFWs and what they say because here in our country, we have freedom of expression),” Roque said in an interview over DZBB.

Earlier, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) accused a certain Elanel Egot Ordidor of cyber libel for posting “nasty and malevolent materials against President Duterte on Facebook.”

The DOLE claimed that Ordidor intended to cause hatred amidst the global health crisis brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Labor Attache Fidel Macauyag said Ordidor’s posts fall under cyber libel under the Cybercrime Prevention Act or Republic Act 10175.

If found guilty, Ordidor may be imprisoned for up to six months or fined up to PHP 250,000.

Overseas Filipino worker (OFW) welfare group Migrante described DOLE’s accusation as “harassment”, claiming it was meant to divert attention away from the government’s response to the outbreak.