Palace Press Officer Atty. Claire Castro has stepped back from deciding what should happen to the Filipinos who berated her in Vancouver, Canada, saying any move now rests with the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Her remarks followed reports that the individuals could face deportation after clips of them jeering and cursing at her in a public area circulated widely online. Castro indicated that whether to act on the encounter falls to DFA Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, who oversees the agency’s posts abroad.
“Hindi po natin alam kung mayroong gagawing aksiyon ang Philippine Embassy, ang ambassador at consul general sa Canada,” Castro said.
She was in Canada as part of the delegation accompanying President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on his official visit, during which she was filming reels with Presidential Communications Office Director Robertzon Ramirez to document the President’s engagements. Castro has said a man walked up, confirmed her identity, and then shouted “You ask your President to resign,” after which a larger group closed in while she and her companion were carrying out their duties.
Castro maintained she holds no grudge against those who confronted her. Her concern, she said, is that other Filipinos might imitate that conduct. She pointed out that the country will not advance if such behavior takes hold.
By her account, it was the protesters themselves who circulated the footage. She only became aware of the viral clip through coverage tied to the President’s activities within the Filipino community. She added that she chose not to report the matter to PCO Secretary Dave Gomez because she did not want it blown out of proportion — though she believes what happened to her was deliberate, and that Filipinos across the world ended up witnessing the poor conduct of a few.
