PH ‘displeased’ over Kuwaiti move
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday, April 26, served a diplomatic note to the Kuwait Embassy to convey “strong surprise and great displeasure” over the declaration of Ambassador Renato Pedro Villa as persona non grata, detention of four Filipinos and issuance of arrest warrants against three diplomatic personnel.
The department, which had summoned Kuwaiti Ambassador Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh over the expulsion of Villa from Kuwait, issued the diplomatic note after it was informed that Althwaikh has been recalled to his country for consultations.
“The department believes that these acts are inconsistent with the assurances and representations made by the Kuwaiti Ambassador on the various concerns that were brought to his attention by Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Peter Cayetano during their meeting in Manila on April 24, 2018,” the DFA statement read.
Earlier Thursday, Malacañang admitted that it was “disturbed” by Kuwait’s move to expel Villa and recall Althwaikh.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said the latest developments came as a surprise, as the Philippines was confident that “all kinks have been ironed out,” after the meeting with Althwaikh on Tuesday, April 24.
Roque nevertheless said the Duterte administration remained optimistic that the bilateral relations between Kuwait and the Philippines would not be injured by Gulf nation’s actions.
“We hope that this development will not lead to further worsening of bilateral ties between the two countries. We hope that this is Kuwaiti’s way of just expressing its anger,” the Palace official said in a press conference.