FVR says PHL envoy Villa should be ‘commended’ for rescuing OFWs

AMID KUWAIT UPROAR


Former President Fidel Ramos on Thursday threw his support behind Philippine Ambassador Renato Pedro Villa who has been expelled from and declarted persona non grata in Kuwait.
In a report by GMA News' JP Soriano on 24 Oras, Ramos said Villa should be "commended" for doing his job of protecting distressed OFWs in the Gulf state.
"He was just protecting our people," the former leader said. "He should be commended. Promote him, decorate him and applaud him."
Kuwait ordered Villa to leave the country as it voiced disapproval to the Philippine Embassy’s move to conduct a series of rescue operations of Filipino maids allegedly abused by their employers.
The Kuwaiti government served protest notes on Villa last week over what it called "inappropriate behavior" by Philippine diplomatic staff, who were shown in a video conducting a rescue of OFWs in the Gulf state.
The video showed the diplomatic staff rescuing a Filipina fleeing from her employer, whom she accused of physically abusing her.
The video was obtained from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Militant pro-migrants group Migrante International said Villa's expulsion may put OFWs in Kuwait into "deeper trouble" as it called the Philippine government's handling of the controversy as a "blunder."
OFW advocate Susan Ople, meanwhile, said the government should work to "normalize" the situation in Kuwait, where some 250,000 Filipinos work, most of them as domestic helpers.
"Mag-focus lang muna kung paano maibalik sa normal 'yung sitwasyon," she said. "Mahalaga na makauwi nang maayos ang ambassador natin."
The Philippine government has protested Villa's expulsion. —KBK, GMA News

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