Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega revealed on Thursday that the two Filipino transwomen involved in a brawl in Bangkok might avoid facing assault and battery charges. Instead, they could be deported and fined, pending finalization of the decision.
De Vega stated, “Macoconfirm natin bago matapos ang araw ngayon, ang gagawin na lang ay ipapabayad na lang ng piyansa o fine yung mga assailants o yung mga Filipino transgender. Dalawa sila na kinakasuhan — pay fine tapos i-deport na lang,” during an interview over Radyo 630.
Clarifying the process, de Vega mentioned in a text message to INQUIRER.net, “Fine of 5K baht each being settled by [the] embassy,” noting that this was standard procedure as the individuals had accepted the charges.
Furthermore, de Vega appealed to Filipinos abroad, urging them not to engage in altercations with locals, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a positive reputation for Filipinos overseas. “At saka, well… alam natin emotions can get very high, nandyan ang embassy para tulungan kayo. Pero importante na ‘yung magandang pangalan ng Filipinos sa ibang bansa ay i-maintain natin,” he explained.
The altercation, which involved Filipino and Thai transwomen, erupted at a restaurant near Nana BTS station on Soi Sukhumvit 11 on Monday night.