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DFA orders envoy in Saudi to return to PH after wife campaigns for presidential bet

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA - The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Saturday said it has ordered the country&#x27;s envoy to Saudi Arabia to return to the Philippines after a video circulated showing his wife openly campaigning for a presidential candidate. </p><p>The DFA said it is investigating the incident, and ordered Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Adnan Alonto to “return to the Philippines for home office consultations.&quot;</p><p>A video posted on Twitter showed that Alonto&#x27;s wife was campaigning for presidential candidate Ferdinand &quot;Bongbong&quot; Marcos, Jr. before the Filipino community in Saudi. </p><p>The DFA added that it “regularly reminds personnel here and at Foreign Service Posts on the prohibition against engagement, whether directly or indirectly, in any electioneering or partisan political activity.”</p><p>&quot;It does not condone acts that go against the Omnibus Election Code, the Overseas Voting Act of 2013 and the COMELEC-CSC Joint Circular No. 001, series of 2016,&quot; the agency said. </p><p>ABS-CBN News sought the comment of Ambassador Alonto on the matter but he has yet to comment as of this story&#x27;s posting.</p><div><strong>-- report from Willard Cheng, ABS-CBN News </strong></div><div><em>More details to follow. </em></div>

The DFA said it is investigating the incident, instructing Philippine Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Adnan Alonto to “return to the Philippines for home office consultations.'