Philippines apologises to Kuwait

Apology follows abusive remarks and unacceptable behaviour by embassy staff

The Philippine ambassador to Kuwait has joined his foreign minister in offering apologies to Kuwaiti officials for the activities by the diplomatic missions that were seen as a violation of the sovereignty of the northern Arabian Gulf state.

Videos emerged last week showing embassy staff helping house workers flee the homes of their employers.

At a press conference yesterday afternoon, Renato Pedro Villa said the embassy never had the intention to harm Kuwait or violate its sovereignty or hurt Kuwaitis in any way. He expressed the diplomatic mission’s appreciation of Kuwait’s hospitality towards 250,000 Filipinos who consider Kuwait their second home.

Villa said he welcomed the agreement between the Filipino foreign minister and the Kuwaiti ambassador in Manila to set up a hotline to receive emergency and distress calls from Filipinos, to establish centres to help house workers and to facilitate the departure of more than 800 Filipinos following the expiry of the grace period for illegal foreign workers.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a press briefing in Manila: “We are apologising for certain incidents that the Kuwaitis view as a violation of their sovereignty.”