DFA: Kuwaiti move to expel PHL envoy 'deeply disturbing'

The Department of Foreign Affairs on Thursday said it finds “disturbing” the decision of Kuwaiti government to expel the Philippines’ envoy as it accused the Gulf state of “reneging” on its commitment to improve both countries’ bilateral ties.

Manila has been informed that Ambassador Renato Villa has been declared “unacceptable” by the State of Kuwait and given one week to return to the country, in a display of anger by the Kuwaiti government over the Philippine embassy’s move last week to conduct rescue operations of mostly Filipino domestic helpers allegedly abused by their employers.

“The action taken by the Kuwaiti government is deeply disturbing as it is inconsistent with the assurances given by Kuwaiti Ambassador Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh during his meeting with Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano in Manila on Tuesday,” a DFA statement issued after midnight said.

Kuwait’s decision to expel Villa came a day after Cayetano issued a public and formal apology to Kuwait “for certain incidents that the Kuwaiti view as violation of their sovereignty.”

Videos of the rescue mission - distributed to the Philippine media by the DFA – went viral online, enraging Kuwait. Kuwait accused Manila of violating international laws and its sovereignty.

Senior Philippine diplomats from the Home Office in Manila who flew to Kuwait last week were also involved in the rescue operation.

Kuwait called the mission "inappropriate behavior."

Kuwait's foreign ministry said it had given the ambassador three days to provide the names of Filipino residents in Kuwait who had "kidnapped" domestic workers from their employers' homes, adding it had yet to receive a response from the embassy.

Kuwaiti security forces "will continue to chase down those who violated the security of the country" and put them on trial, the ministry added in a statement.

Kuwait’s state news also reported that Kuwait has downgraded its diplomatic representation in the Philippines by ordering the recall of its envoy in Manila.

The DFA said it will ask Kuwaiti ambassador Saleh “to explain first thing tomorrow why the Kuwaiti government reneged on the agreement reached with him to work together to move bilateral relations between the Philippines and Kuwait forward.”

“In discussions at every level with Kuwait, the Philippines has always emphasized that the well-being of Filipino nationals wherever they may be will always be of paramount importance,” the department said.

It insisted that “the protection of the rights and the promotion of the welfare of Filipinos abroad would always be the guiding principle of the Philippines in its relationship with countries around the world, including Kuwait.”

In an interview with reporters on Tuesday, Cayetano indicated that the matter has been resolved with Kuwait and that it has “accepted” the Philippines’ explanation.

To prevent future conflicts and misunderstandings, he assured Kuwait’s envoy in their meeting that the Philippine government “will follow their laws and that we will respect Kuwaiti sovereignty and uphold the dignity of their state by acting within the bounds of law and international law.”

In response, the Kuwaiti diplomat, according to Cayetano, guaranteed the continued protection of Filipino workers and agreed to work with Manila to enforce mechanisms or guidelines for Philippine nationals needing immediate assistance.

Kuwait is a major labor destination for Filipinos in the Middle East, with over 250,000 currently working there, mostly as domestic helpers.

However, recent incidents of abuses against OFWs, where some resulted to death, prompted the Philippine government to enforce a deployment ban for Filipino workers.

Cayetano acknowledged that abuses against Filipinos are “not widespread,” but stressed that it is “not an isolated event.”

Since the ban, meetings and consultations have taken place between the two sides to forge a labor pact that will provide protection to thousands of Filipino workers.

The accord, Cayetano said, may be signed next month, but it is not clear how the diplomatic row will affect its ongoing negotiations. — with Reuters/BAP, GMA News