Workers group seeks dismissal of labor official in Taipei

MANILA, Philippines — A workers group urged Department of Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III to dismiss the labor official in Taiwan who had sought the deportation of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) who criticized on social media the government’s response against the coronavirus disease.

In a four-page complaint sent to Bello, Migrante International accused Labor Attaché Fidel Macauyag of abuse of authority when he attempted to have caregiver Elanel Ordidor deported for her social media posts.

“Redress of grievances against the government and criticism of public officials fall within the realm of protected speech in the Philippines and in all democratic countries of the world, including the Republic of China,” Migrante International chair Joanna Concepcion said.

“As a labor attaché, he should be the first to defend the rights of all OFWs within his area of responsibility,” she added.

Taiwan has rejected Macauyag’s call for Ordidor’s deportation, stressing that freedom of speech was to be “respected by governments of all countries.”

—Jovic Yee