Koko Pimentel says PHL apology earned respect, friendship of Kuwait

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III lauded Wednesday the decision of the Duterte administration to apologize over the rescue operation on distressed overseas Filipino workers in Kuwait, saying it earned the respect of the Gulf state and other countries by doing so.

“I think we gained the respect and the friendship of Kuwait more and maybe some other countries na tumitingin sa atin. The Philippines, at least, marunong din pala magpakumbaba and manghingi ng paumahin,” Pimentel said at a news forum.

On Tuesday, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano conveyed the Philippine government’s apology in a meeting with Kuwait’s ambassador, saying the country's actions were done “in the spirit of emergency to protect Filipinos.”

He said the Kuwaiti official has accepted the explanation.

Pimentel said it is only correct for the country to say sorry to the Kuwaiti government.

“Kung tayo dito sa Pilipinas ay very serious about sovereignty, ganun din sa ibang bansa, siguro sa mata ng Kuwaiti authorities, we were enforcing our laws in Kuwait. So kung lumagpas tayo, tama lang na mag-apologize tayo, let us be conscious din,” he said.

The Senate leader said if the Filipinos want foreign countries to respect our laws, the Philippine officials should do the same abroad.

“Sa Pilipinas dahan dahan nating sinasabi we are a sovereign nation, hindi tayo sunud-sunuran lang, respetuhin ang ating laws, ganun din sa ibang bansa,” he said.

Pimentel said he believes the situation of Filipinos in Kuwait already improved following the action of the Philippine government in the case of Joanna Demafelis.

“Things are progressing. Generally speaking, the situation of OFWs in Kuwait has improved a lot because of this hard line,” he said.

Kuwait earlier summoned and lodged diplomatic protests against the Philippine government for undertaking series of rescue operations of Filipino workers who were in trouble with their employers or who sought the embassy’s assistance on various issues.

Kuwait was also angered by alleged “inflammatory comments” made by Philippine Ambassador Rene Villa against the Arab state through a local newspaper.

Meanwhile, Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito commended Villa for the rescue of OFWs.

“Villa had to make a hard decision.  While we need to respect laws of the host country, priority of any government official should be the welfare and lives of the Filipino citizens,” Ejercito said in a press statement.

He said while Villa may have violated protocols of the Kuwaiti government, saving the lives and protection of welfare of Filipinos should be given utmost priority.

“I would rather see Villa being summoned or deported by the Kuwaiti government rather than seeing Filipinos going home in caskets. Maltreatment of OFWs specially the domestic helpers has to stop! This is just too much already,” he said. — RSJ, GMA News