Kuwait served protest notes on PHL envoy over ‘rescue’ of OFWs, ‘offensive remarks’ —local media

Kuwait has summoned and served protest notes on Philippine Ambassador Renato Pedro Villa over the "rescue" of distressed Filipino workers and supposed offensive remarks against the Arab state, reports said.

Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported that Villa was summoned on Saturday in protest over "inflammatory comments" that he supposedly made against the Arab state through a local newspaper.

KUNA said that Villa was also summoned over "inappropriate behavior" by Philippine diplomatic staff, who were caught in a video rescuing distressed Filipinos.

The news agency said Villa was first summoned by the Kuwaiti government on Friday over "scathing remarks" by Philippine officials and alleged "misconduct" of the Philippine diplomatic staff.

Additional details on the protest notes were not provided in the Arab state's news agency.

In a 24 Oras report last Thursday, a Philippine "rapid response team" was seen in a video going around Kuwait to locate Filipino household workers who have requested to be rescued.

The report said the operation was dubbed "Rescue in the Desert," which was done in a swift and surgical manner.

The report showed the team rescuing a Filipino domestic worker fleeing from her employer whom she accused of physically abusing her.

Arab Times reported on Sunday that several Kuwaiti Members of Parliament (MP) government have criticized Villa after confirming that a team of Philippine officers are rescuing distressed Filipinos.

The MPs said the deployment of a Philippine rescue team in Kuwait is a violation of diplomatic norms and an infringement of the country's sovereignty, the report added.

KUNA reported that Kuwaiti authorities have "identified and tracked down" three Filipino workers who helped in the rescue of the Filipina housemaid.

A report on Balitanghali on Sunday said that according to Villa, there was no such order to arrest Filipinos involved in the rescue efforts.

Villa also said that the Philippine embassy is already preparing an answer to the Kuwaiti government's protest. —ALG, GMA News