Embassy drivers in Kuwait OFW 'rescue' released

MANILA, Philippines — Kuwait on Wednesday released four Philippine Embassy drivers who were detained following “rescue” operations of distressed Filipino workers in the Gulf state, which plunged the relations between the two countries to an all-time low.

 

A delegation of Filipino officials composed of Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, former Labor Secretary Marianito Roque, Labor Attache Rustico Dela Fuente and Deputy Chief of Mission in Kuwait Mohd Noordin Lomondot met officials from Kuwait’s Interior Ministry in an effort to normalize ties between the two countries after a diplomatic row stemming from the operations.

 

“The meeting of officials between the two countries likewise saw the release of four drivers,” a statement from the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson said.

 

A memorandum of agreement intended to put in place better protections for Filipino workers in the Gulf state was also expected to be agreed upon and signed after the meeting.

 

The meeting also resulted in a guarantee from Kuwaiti officials that all remaining undocumented Filipinos, except those with pending cases, would be allowed to go home.

 

Around 150 workers are expected to join Philippine officials on their flight home, according to information from the presidential palace.

 

Relations between the two country were strained following reports that several Filipinos were abused and killed by their Kuwaiti employers, prompting President Rodrigo Duterte to freeze the deployment of workers to the Arab nation.

 

As negotiations for a protection agreement were ongoing, Kuwait’s government declared Ambassador Renato Villa an undesirable individual and gave him a week to leave the country after videos of “rescue” missions by embassy personnel were released.

 

Kuwait’s ambassador to Manila was also recalled after the decision as Villa’s expulsion displeased the Philippines which said that the actions of the Gulf state were not in accordance to the guarantees it gave Filipino officials.

 

Aside from the memorandum, Kuwait has also agreed to create a special unit in its police force that the Philippine embassy could coordinate with to act on complaints by distressed Filipino workers. This unit will be available 24 hours a day, and Filipinos will have a dedicated number they can call when they need assistance.

 

Conspicuously absent from the high-level Philippine delegation was Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.

 

It was reported that at the height of the crisis that Cayetano and Bello were in a shouting match and argued over who was to blame for the problem. The DFA has denied that there was a shouting match and likewise disputed that a career Foreign Affairs officials had written the Palace asking for Cayetano's resignation.

 

The STAR also reported that the rescue of Filipino workers was authorized by Foreign Undersecretary Sara Lou Arriola, a move that violated that disregarded the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.