DFA to probe envoy’s maltreatment of Pinoy helper

FILE: The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Building. (File Photo: Department of Foreign Affairs, Republic of the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday discussions are ongoing on the investigation involving Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Marichu Mauro who was caught hitting her Filipino helper inside the diplomatic residence.

In a tweet, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the DFA would assign an official from overseas to lead the investigation.

“I’m still trying to get the best guy abroad here—no flights—and he is not an ambassador but is the very best in the business, to come in and do the investigation. He is relentless,” he said.

The clarification was made following a separate statement from the DFA-Office of Strategic Communications and Research that the fact-finding team would be headed by an ambassador-rank official.

The said statement, meanwhile, noted that “if prima facie evidence is established by the fact-finding team, the case will be heard by a hearing panel constituted by the Board of Foreign Service Administration.”

Brazilian news outlet GloboNews earlier released CCTV footage showing Mauro slapping her Filipino helper. In separate incidents, she could be seen throwing a piece of cloth on the household worker’s face and pulling her ears to the point that the Filipina was crying.

The helper left Brazil on October 21 and is back in the Philippines. The DFA is reaching out to her to ensure her well-being and cooperation in the investigation.

Mauro, on the other hand, was recalled on Monday “to explain the maltreatment of her service staff.” She has not arrived in Manila yet.