MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte approved the dismissal from service of former Philippine Ambassador to Brazil Marichu Mauro, who went viral for maltreating her Filipina domestic helper.
“‘Yung ambassador dun sa Brazil who maltreated a household helper…the recommendation was, and I am, I signed it…I signed the document affirming the decision,” Duterte said on Monday.
“The decision metes out the penalty of dismissal from the service with the accessory penalty of cancellation of eligibility, forfeiture of retirement benefits, perpetual disqualification from holding public office, and barred from taking civil service examination,” he added.
Mauro went viral online late last year following the release of videos where she repeatedly assaulted her 51-year old Filipina helper inside the diplomatic residence.
The maltreatment was recorded by a security camera and documented by employees who refused to be identified. The victim was also “physically assaulted many times, many days.”
In one of the videos, Mauro was seen slapping the victim, but stopped when another employee entered the house. The ambassador was also seen pulling the helper’s ear in another video, and hitting her with an umbrella in a separate incident.
Mauro was appointed as envoy to Brazil in February 2018. Prior to the post, she was assigned as consul general to the Philippine General Consulate in Milan, Italy./PN
