Palace washes hands of Pinay caregiver’s deportation

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Sunday denied any hand in the labor department’s move to deport a Filipina caregiver in Taiwan who criticized the government’s response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. 

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the Palace does not interfere in the remarks of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“There is no truth that we sought the deportation because we do not interfere with millions of OFWs and what they are saying. We have the right to free expression,” Roque said.

Labor attaché Fidel Macauyag said they would seek the deportation of Elane Ordidor for posting “nasty and malevolent materials” against President Duterte on Facebook.

Macauyag said Ordidor’s online posts constituted cyber libel. 

Taiwan has yet to decide on the Philippine government’s request to deport Ordidor, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello said.

Bello said the Philippine labor attache in Taiwan filed the complaint against Ordidor.

“What she posted online was not only libelous. She even threatened to slap the President. Freedom of speech has limits,” Bello said.

He said Ordidor’s remark was intended to destabilize the government, which could be considered a serious offense during a national health emergency.

Bello said the caregiver promised to apologize to the President.

The labor chief said it is up to the President if he wants to file a libel suit against Ordidor.

Migrant rights group Migrante hit the government for seeking Ordidor’s deportation, calling it a “violation of her right to freedom of expression.”