PHL envoy expelled for non-response on Kuwait request — report


Former Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Villa was declared persona non-grata in Kuwait for his alleged failure to address the Gulf country's complaints over the rescue of OFWs by his staff.
Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported Wednesday that a notice was sent to the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait to explain the news of a seven-team contingency affiliated with the Philippine foreign secretary for labor and immigration "at pretext of rescuing female housemaids in Kuwait."
"The State of Kuwait Government affirms that such acts and statements constitute explicit breach of international principles and covenants," the official statement said.
Villa was reportedly summoned twice to address Kuwait's "extreme and denunciation of such dangerous transgressions, coupled with an explicit request that the embassy deliver names of the Filipinos who had committed the offense of smuggling Filipina workers in three months," the report said.
"However, this duration has passed without any response from the embassy," the Gulf state said.
Due to his alleged lack of response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declared Villa persona non-grata in accordance with Provision 9 of the 1961 Vienna Convention.
Article 9 states that "the receiving State may at any time and without having to explain its decision, notify the sending State that the head of the mission or any member of the diplomatic staff of the mission is persona non grata or that any other member of the staff of the mission is not acceptable."
Villa has a week to return to the Philippines.
The Kuwaiti ambassador to the Philippines is also being recalled for consultation in order to "move from this extraordinary situation toward wider horizons of solid and joint relations as part of the historic and deep-rooted ties between the two countries."
Kuwait's Ministry of Affairs said this matter must be tacked "without any negative and harmful media sensationalism."
As of posting time, GMA News Online has yet to receive a comment from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
"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 said.   
The Philippines and Kuwait are in the midst of a tense diplomatic row over the ill-treatment of Filipino domestic workers, sparked by the discovery of the body of OFW Joanna Demafelis one year after she was allegedly murdered by her employers. — Rie Takumi/RSJ, GMA News

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