Migrante blasts PHL rescue of OFWs in Kuwait

Migrante International on Saturday hit the Philippine government's recent rescue of overseas Filipino workers (OFW) in Kuwait, saying it only worsened the situation of already distressed migrant workers in the Arab country.

Migrante International spokesperson Arman Hernando said Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano Cayetano should apologize not only to the Kuwaiti government but also to OFWs in Kuwait.

Cayetano earlier issed a public and formal apology to Kuwait “for certain incidents that the Kuwaiti view as violation of their sovereignty.”

"Sa amin nga po dapat makahingi rin kami ng apology e sa nangyari po na ito dahil 'yung rescue operation na kalokohan na naisip nitong mga ito ay mas lalo po actually nagdala sa kapahamakan sa ating mga OFW," Hernando said at a forum in Quezon City.

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.

The rescue operations led to the expulsion and declaration of Philippine ambassador to Kuwait Renao Villa as persona non-grata by the Arab country.

"Dahil po doon sa rescue operations na 'yon 'yung mga employer na Kuwaiti at 'yung gobyernong Kuwaiti ay nakatutok na naman sa ibayong pagpaparusa sa ating mga Pilipino at mapag-initan 'yung ating mga manggagawa doon. Ang makaka-suffer po ng backlash 'yung ating mga OFWs," Hernando said.

The Migrante spokesman said the Philippine envoy's expulsion from Kuwait affected the embassy services intended for OFWs there.

Hernando called the rescue operations a mere publicity stunt, which only damaged the possibility of forging a bilateral agreement between Philippines and Kuwait for the protection of OFWs in the Arab country.

The negotiations for a protection deal was prompted by a series of abuses against OFWs, the worst being the killing of Joanna Demafelis whose body was found in an abandoned freezer in Kuwait.

"Nabalewala ang kamatayan ni Joanna Demafelis at iba pang mga namatay dahil sa kalokohan ng ating embahada," Hernando said. — MDM, GMA News