Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
Did Philippine embassy cover up sexual harassment allegations?
Noe Albano Wong, then-Philippine ambassador to Korea, speaks with The Korea Times at the embassy in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, in September 2019. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
By Yi Whan-woo
By Yi Whan-woo
The Philippine Embassy in Korea is suspected of having tried to cover up allegations of sexual harassment against former ambassador Noe Albano Wong.
A former military and police officer, Wong officially began his term in Seoul in August 2019 but tendered his resignation in March, fueling speculation about the reason.
Charge d'affaires Christian L. De Jesus has headed the embassy since Wong's departure.
The embassy has claimed for months that Wong, 69, was “sick and not feeling well” before his resignation, implicitly attributing health problems to his short-lived ambassadorship.
On Friday, Seoul-based broadcaster SBS, without disclosing his name, reported he quit after a complaint was filed with police that he allegedly sexually harassed a Korean woman in December.
The allegations claim he hugged the woman from behind without her consent.
Also on Friday, Yonhap News Agency said Interpol has included Wong on in its Red Notice list in accordance with the National Police Agency's request and asked member states to help find and arrest him.
Asked by The Korea Times on Sunday about the allegations against Wong, the embassy said in an email that it received a complaint about sexual harassment against him in February when he was in Manila on official business.
The embassy said the complaint was “immediately referred” to the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs, which ordered the Committee on Decorum and Investigation (CODI) to look into the allegations.
Wong subsequently resigned on March 16.
The complainant and Wong cooperated with the investigating committee, according to the diplomatic mission.
“The department is committed to ensuring that justice is rendered in this case,” the embassy said. “It also remains committed in cultivating and preserving a work environment where all personnel are treated with respect and dignity, and free from harassment of any kind.”
Still, the embassy did not clarify whether Wong's health was really the reason for his resignation or whether it was an attempt to cover up the allegations.
Some diplomatic sources said Wong would no longer be entitled to diplomatic immunity.
But the sources remained skeptical over whether the Philippine police, due to the sensitivity of the issue, would hand over Wong to Korea even if the allegations were found to be true.
Wong took office in 2019 as the two countries were enjoying a deepening friendship, including the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations and a milestone of Korean tourist arrivals in the Philippines.