PHL protests expulsion of PHL envoy in Kuwait
The Philippines on Thursday protested the expulsion of its ambassador to Kuwait, the arrest warrants against its three diplomats, and the detention of four other Filipinos as the diplomatic dispute between the two countries over the abuse of Filipino housemaids continues to escalate.
Kuwait withdrew its envoy in Manila, preventing the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) from meeting him to clarify issues related to the diplomatic conflict.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs has summoned Kuwaiti Ambassador Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh but was informed by the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Manila that he has been recalled to his capital for consultations,” the DFA said in a statement.
“The Department served a diplomatic note to the Embassy of Kuwait conveying its strong surprise and great displeasure over the declaration of Ambassador Renato Pedro Villa as persona non grata; the continued detention of four Filipinos hired by the Philippine Embassy; and the issuance of arrest warrants against three diplomatic personnel,” it added.
These acts, the DFA said, are “inconsistent” with the assurances and representations made by the Kuwaiti envoy when he met with Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano in Manila on April 24.
“In that meeting, Secretary Cayetano inquired on the status of Ambassador Villa in Kuwait and Ambassador Althwaikh stated that he is welcome to stay in Kuwait until the end of his tour of duty, and that the government of Kuwait ‘likes’ Ambassador Villa very much,” the DFA said.
Kuwait was angered over the Philippine Embassy’s move to conduct a series of rescue operation of Filipino maids allegedly abused by their employers.
The Gulf state’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, which 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."
In his meeting with Althwaikh, Cayetano said the explanation of the Philippine government was accepted by Kuwait.
Along with the apology, Cayetano explained to the Kuwaiti envoy that the Philippines always puts “paramount importance” to the well-being of Filipino nationals wherever they may be.
He said the country's actions were done "in the spirit of emergency to protect Filipinos."
To prevent future conflicts, Cayetano said the Philippine government assured that it “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.”
The DFA said in the same meeting, Althwaikh committed to Cayetano several measures on how to immediately respond to the urgent requests by Filipino nationals.
- To strengthen the Kuwaiti Government’s 24/7 Hotline to immediately respond to urgent requests for assistance by Filipino nationals in coordination with the Philippine Embassy;
- To jointly establish additional centers or shelters, if needed, for distressed Filipino workers;
- To jointly formulate mechanisms to ensure better and efficient coordination between the Philippine Embassy and Kuwaiti authorities in responding to any emergency case involving Filipino nationals;
- To ensure immediate action by Kuwaiti authorities on pending requests for assistance from distressed Filipino workers;
- To facilitate repatriation of the more than 800 Filipinos currently staying in shelters of the Philippine Embassy;
- To assure justice for pending and future cases filed by Filipinos who are victims of serious abuse and other offenses;
- To assure proper and humane treatment of Filipinos who may be taken into custody after the April 22 amnesty deadline and to repatriate them immediately with the assistance of the Philippine Embassy.
- To release Filipino nationals hired by the Philippine Embassy who were taken into custody in recent days for their involvement in the actions taken by the Embassy in responding to the calls for assistance by Filipino nationals in distress; and
- To ensure that diplomatic personnel of the Department of Foreign Affairs who are still in Kuwait are allowed to return to Manila without incident at the soonest possible time.
“Given the current circumstances, the Department conveyed its wish to be clarified on the actions to be taken by the Government of Kuwait on the assurances given by the Ambassador to the Secretary,” the DFA said.
It maintained 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.”
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 them, where some resulted to death, prompted the Philippine government to enforce a deployment ban for Filipino workers earlier this year. —KBK, GMA News
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