The officers and staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs join me in expressing our great sadness over the untimely death of Assistant Secretary Alicia C. Ramos of the Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs. Assistant Secretary Ramos, 64 years old, was a dedicated public servant, a foreign affairs expert on Asia and Pacific issues and a civil servant whom I have reposed my trust and confidence in assisting the Department in the promotion of the national interest and Philippine foreign policy in the international arena.

We convey our deepest condolences to the family of Assistant Secretary Ramos. We also wish for the speedy recovery of her sister, Leticia C. Ramos, a Foreign Service Officer, who together with Alicia were the victims of an attempted robbery by three masked men who barged into their residence in Barangay Palanan, Makati City, at 5:30 a.m., Sunday, 24 April 2005.

Assistant Secretary Ramos was the lone fatality by strangulation in this criminal incident, which is now being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Division of the Makati Police. Police Deputy Director General Avelino I. Razon, Jr. of the Philippine National Police was at the scene of the crime and overseeing the investigation of the case.

We condemn this act of  violence on a dedicated civil servant. We abhor these acts of violence and hope and pray that those responsible for the crime will be arrested and prosecuted. We extend our full support to the PNP in their investigation of this case.

Assistant Secretary Ramos has served the government well.She is a second generation diplomat who topped the Foreign Service Examinations in 1973. Prior to her designation as Assistant Secretary for Asia and the Pacific, Alicia Ramos was the Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand (1996-2002) and Singapore (1993 to 1995). She opened the Philippine Embassy in Romania in 1990 where served as the Philippine Ambassador until 1993 with concurrent accreditation as Non-Resident Ambassador to Republic of Bulgaria and Republic of Moldova. She had also served as Assistant Secretary for ASEAN Affairs (2002 – 2003) and Assistant Secretary for American Affairs (1995 – 1996).

We will certainly miss Assistant Secretary Ramos. We pray to The Almighty to welcome her soul into His Heavenly Kingdom. END