Photo of communication of the PHL Embassy in Warsaw declaring support for the Secretary of Foreign Affairs

All personnel of the Embassy sign on to the affirmation of support for Sec. Cayetano

WARSAW_________ The officers and staff of the Philippine Embassy in Warsaw sent an official communication to DFA-Manila yesterday, 07 May, collectively affirming their support for Secretary of Foreign Affairs Mr. Alan Peter Cayetano. All the DFA personnel assigned in Warsaw affixed their singnatures to the communication.

This move followed news reports alledging that “career personnel” of the DFA had written a letter to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte urging him to sack Foreign Affairs Secretary Cayetano in the wake of the controversy stemming from the uploading of the “rescue video” in Kuwait.

Below is the full text of the communication from the PHL Embassy in Warsaw:

EXTREMELY URGENT

To: SFA
Rt: Office of the Secretary, OUMWA, OPD
Cc: All FSPs, DFA Offices, RCOs and Satellite Offices
Fr: Warsaw PE
Re: Affirmation of Support for the SFA
Dt: 07 May 2018
Cc: ZWR-326-2018

We, the career personnel of Warsaw PE, strongly affirm our confidence in and support for the Honorable Secretary of Foreign Affairs H.E. Alan Peter Cayetano who has been amply demonstrating his dedication to duty and love of country, especially in protecting and promoting the welfare of OFWs, as mandated by the “chief architect” of our country’s foreign policy, H.E. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Further, we condemn the underhanded tactics of unscrupulous persons who were behind the smear campaign directed at the SFA and who denigrated the efforts of our colleagues in the OUMWA and in Kuwait in rescuing distressed OFWs.

We also denounce those “shadowy figures” who issued malicious statements and falsely attributed them to the corps of career diplomats in a vain attempt to drive a wedge between the career foreign service officers and staffers on one hand; and the SFA and the senior management, on the other; aside from undermining the leadership and crediblity of the SFA.

As career personnel with long track records of service to the Department, we are averse to engaging in counter-productive intrigues and “demolition jobs” that only do damage to the country. Instead, we remain committed to the professional implementation of our duties and responsiblities in the foreign service, in the service of our country and the Filipino people.

PATRICIA ANN V. PAEZ                                           MARIA ALNEE GAMBLE
Ambassador                                                           Consul and First Secretary
(signed)                                                                 (signed)

RAMON EBALO                                                        MARDEN GARDUQUE
Administrative Officer                                               Finance Officer
FSSO II                                                                  FSSO II
(signed)                                                                    (signed)

JOSE MAGASO                                                        IMELDA DE JOYA
Consular Assistant/Property Officer                           Communications Officer
FSSE I                                                                        FSSE II
(signed)                                                                       (signed)