DFA employee axed for disrespecting PWD applicant

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has relieved a consular staff after humiliating a polio-stricken journalist applying for a passport.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. apologized following the incident involving reporter Macon Ramos-Araneta, who was repeatedly questioned about her disability by the consular staff.

“I am at a total loss for words except that I will seriously consider a proposal for chemical castration to prevent this behavior from being passed on. I am deeply sorry,” Locsin wrote on Twitter.

DFA Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato said they have relieved the consular staff involved and stressed that it was an isolated incident.

“It should not be taken against all the other men and women serving in our consular offices in the Philippines and in our foreign service posts,” he said.

“The department has always placed serious importance on the proper manner in which consular staff interact with the applying public,” he added.

Cato said they have redoubled their efforts to ensure that no person with disability (PWD) would go through a similar experience while transacting with the agency.

In a post on Facebook on Friday, Araneta said the consular officer asked a guard to verify her disability as she only presented a photocopy of her PWD identification card.

But despite her evident limp and showing her foot, she said the guard still doubted her.

She said it would have been okay had the staff asked her to bring her PWD identification card rather than repeatedly asking to prove her disability.

“I’m wrong for presenting only a Xerox copy of my PWD ID, but I wasn’t lying when I told (him) that I have polio. In the first place, why would I fake it, why would you want to be a polio victim?” she wrote.

She said another staff apologized to her when she recalled the incident during her application.