3 Philippine diplomats held in Kuwait return to Manila

MANILA, Philippines — The three Philippine diplomatic personnel charged with kidnapping in the rescue of distressed Filipino workers from a Kuwaiti household last month arrived yesterday afternoon, after they were issued travel clearance.

The three were allowed to leave Kuwait after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) and the total lifting of the ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to the Gulf state.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said last Wednesday President Duterte had instructed Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III to lift the deployment ban upon recommendation of special envoy to Kuwait Abdullah Mama-o.

The MOU was signed last Friday to provide greater protection for OFWs in the Arab nation.

But officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) refused to divulge the names of the diplomats who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) terminal 1 yesterday afternoon on board Kuwait Airways flight KU 417.

Around 10 DFA officials headed by Mama-o welcomed the three returning diplomats.

Mama-o told media, “Uou can get the full details (from) the DFA,” as security officials implemented the “no DFA personnel, no entry at the dignitaries lounge.”

Meanwhile, sources said the four Filipino drivers involved in the controversial rescue will soon be home after the MOU was signed by Philippine and Kuwaiti officials.

For his part, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People chairman Bishop Ruperto Santos yesterday reiterated his support for the full lifting of the deployment ban of OFWs to Kuwait and hopes that the MOU would be duplicated in other Middle East countries. 

“Promoting and protecting the welfare and well-being of workers will be for the best and beneficial to both countries. We support the (MOU) and appreciate the lifting of the deployment ban,” he added. – With Rudy Santos, Evelyn Macairan