Palace ‘surprised’ by PH envoy’s expulsion
MANILA - Malacañang said it was surprised by the Kuwaiti government’s decision to expel Philippine Ambassador Renato Villa, following the release of a video that drew the ire of Kuwaiti authorities.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the development came as a surprise, as talks between President Rodrigo Duterte and Kuwait’s Ambassador to the Philippines Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh earlier this week went well.
“Eh nagulat po talaga ang lahat sa mga developments na ito, dahil mahusay po ang pag-uusap sa panig ng ating Presidente at ng Kuwaiti Ambassador; at sa panig po ng ating Secretary of Foreign Affairs at ng Kuwaiti Ambassador din kahapon ‘no,” Roque told dzMM.
“So, nagulat po tayo at ngayon po ang pinag-aaralan kung ano ang mangyayari. Pero ang assurance lang po ng Presidente sa ating panglabas na relasyon, ang pangunahing concern po ng Presidente ay iyong kapakanan ng ating mga mamamayan, ng ating mga OFWs.”
The Philippines and Kuwait figured into a diplomatic row after a video showing the controversial rescue of Filipino domestic workers from their employers' homes in the Gulf state surfaced and went viral online.
The Kuwaiti government viewed the rescue as a violation of its sovereignty. The Philippines has since apologized over the incident.
The Kuwaiti government has given Villa a week to leave the country, and also recalled its ambassador from Manila.
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.
Villa has also been declared "persona non-grata" in Kuwait, according to a report by the Associated Press quoting state-run Kuwait News Agency.
In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs called the move "deeply disturbing" and "inconsistent," and said it will seek an explanation from the Kuwaiti envoy.
The Philippines and Kuwait are finalizing a deal for the protection of Filipino workers in the Gulf state. Talks began following a string of reported abuse and deaths of OFWs, including Joanna Demafelis, whose body was found in a freezer in Kuwait in February after being reported missing a year ago.
Roque said he believes the tension between the two countries will simmer and that this will not affect the signing of agreement.
“Sa tingin ko naman po huhupa iyan. Siguro po kinailangan lang na i-express nila iyong kanilang displeasure ng maging malinaw na hindi naging katanggap-tanggap para sa mga Kuwaiti iyong mga pangyayari,” he said.
The incident prompted the Philippine government to ban the deployment of Filipino workers to the Gulf state and initiate a repatriation program for those who would like to come home.
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