Former envoy to Brazil charged for maltreatment

MANILA, Philippines — Former Philippine ambassador to Brazil Marichu Mauro was formally charged yesterday for alleged maltreatment of her Filipino house helper, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said.

Locsin did not elaborate on the complaint against Mauro, a career diplomat, but said he informed President Duterte of the charges.

“Charge served on her at 8:25 a.m. today. I sent a memo to the President on it,” Locsin tweeted.

“The Hearing Panel’s report and charge will be passed upon and approved/disapproved by the Board of Foreign Service Administration; and finally by the Secretary. It shouldn’t take too long,” he said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) vowed to impose “severe” penalty on the former ambassador for maltreating her household staff.

Last month, Locsin recalled Mauro, who was caught on video maltreating her 51-year-old housemaid.

The footage, first aired by a Brazilian news outfit, went viral on social media.

The DFA formed a fact-finding team to investigate Mauro for allegedly mistreating her Filipino domestic helper after Malacañang allowed the agency to conduct the probe.

The fact-finding team includes Philippine Consul General in Sydney Ezzedin Tago, former Philippine ambassador to the Netherlands Jaime Ledda, Philippine Ambassador to Oman Narciso Castañeda and lawyer Ihna Alyssa Marie Santos of the Human Resource Management Office.