DFA finds decision of Kuwait to expel envoy “disturbing”

April 26, 2018

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday said it finds “disturbing” the decision of Kuwaiti government to expel the Philippines’ envoy as it added that the Gulf state of “reneging” on its commitment to improve both countries’ bilateral ties.

On Wednesday night, Manila was informed that Ambassador Renato Villa has been declared “unacceptable” by the State of Kuwait and has been given one week to return to the Philippines.

This followed a response by the Kuwaiti government over the Philippine embassy’s move last week to conduct rescue operation of mostly Filipino maids allegedly abused by their employers.

“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 after midnight said.

Kuwait’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. Kuwait 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."

Kuwait’s state news also reported that the Kuwaiti government has downgraded its diplomatic representation in the Philippines by ordering the recall of its envoy in Manila.

There are over 250,000 Filipinos working in Kuwait mostly as domestic helpers.

Recent incidents of abuses against them, where some resulted in death, prompted the Philippine government to enforce a deployment ban for Filipino workers. DMS