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Pinoy Abroad

Taiwan rejects move to deport OFW critical of Duterte: ‘She enjoys free speech’


Taiwan has rejected a Philippine government agency's move to have a Filipina caregiver deported over her supposed “nasty and malevolent” criticisms against President Rodrigo Duterte.

Foreign workers in the island nation exercise freedom of speech as they enjoy “citizen treatment,” Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said Tuesday.

The Philippine Department of Labor and Employment announced Saturday it was seeking the deportation of Elanel Egot Ordidor over her social media posts critical of Duterte and his administration’s handling of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

Labor Attaché Fidel Macauyag claimed that Ordidor’s actions “amounted to a crime for which she might be prosecuted both in Taiwan and the Philippines."

But Taiwan backed Ordidor and maintained that she enjoys the freedom of speech just like anyone else in the country.

"Taiwan is a sovereign, independent country where foreign workers enjoy 'citizen treatment,' and their rights and interests are protected by relevant laws and regulations, including freedom of speech, which should be respected by governments of all countries," MOFA was quoted  by UDN, a Taiwanese media outlet, which was then quoted in English by Taiwan News.

It added: “No person or institution, in this case, has the right to pressure her, her employer, or broker, nor shall she be deported without consultations held between both governments."

Taiwan was consistently listed as one of the freest countries in the world.

In 2020, Taiwan was ranked as the second freest country in Asia according to the “Freedom in the World” report by Freedom House, a think-tank in Washington, DC.

No deportation request

Saying Filipinos enjoy the freedom of expression, Malacañang over the weekend denied asking the Taiwanese government to deport Ordidor.

But Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the government was ready to assist the caregiver should she be deported by her host government.

“Aasistihin po natin kung ano ang kinakailangan nung manggagawa na inorder [sic] na ma-deport ng Taiwan. Bagamat ang decision po ng Taiwan ay desisyon ng Taiwan. Hindi po natin pinanghihimasukan ‘yan,” Roque told Super Radyo dzBB in an interview on Sunday.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) on Tuesday called on the Philippine government to uphold and respect the right of Filipinos to air grievances.

“We continue to remind the government that public service requires a higher tolerance for opinions and criticisms, especially that a democracy works best when there are healthy discourses on governance; thereby, allowing greater accountability from our public officials,” the CHR said in a statement. -MDM, GMA News

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