Taiwan refuses to deport Filipina OFW critical of President Duterte

Taiwan rejected on Tuesday the move to deport the Filipina worker critical of President Rodrigo Duterte, on the grounds that the overseas worker has not violated its country’s laws.

In a press briefing, Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the rights and interests of its foreign workers are protected by the country’s laws and regulations.

The ministry added that it is willing to coordinate with the Philippines regarding the issue, provided that the latter submits a request for mutual legal assistance through diplomatic channels.

In a statement, the Department of Labor and Employment earlier accused the Filipina of cyberlibel for “willful posting of nasty and malevolent materials against President Duterte on Facebook intended to cause hatred amidst the global health crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The Philippine Overseas Labor Office in Taiwan said it got in touch with the OFW’s broker and employer on her deportation. However, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque denied on Sunday that Malacañang has requested for the deportation of the caregiver.

MECO exec apologizes to Taiwan over OFW deportation issue

Manila’s representative in Taiwan has apologized to Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) for the statement released by a Philippine labor official seeking the deportation of a Filipina caregiver who was critical of President Rodrigo Duterte.

Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) chairman and resident representative Angelito Banayo issued the apology before Taiwan’s MOFA reportedly rejected the move to deport the overseas Filipino worker.

In a statement last April 25, Philippine Labor Attaché in Taichung Fidel Macauyag said he sought the deportation of caregiver Elanel Ordidor for alleged cyber libel over her social media posts against Duterte which he said “intended to cause hatred” amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When I learned about the press statement issued in Manila, I immediately got in touch with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to apologize for the wording of whatever statement it was that talks about deportation,” Banayo said in an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel.

“…Deportation is the sovereign privilege of the host country. nothing we can do about their decisions on deportation,” he added.

Banayo said that after this, Taiwan’s MOFA released a statement which “invoked the fact that deportation is a sovereign right of the host country and that if there are any deportation proceedings they will have to go through a mutual legal assistance agreement.”