By Roy C. Mabasa
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano yesterday admitted that the rescue of distressed overseas Filipino workers has infuriated the Kuwaiti government and resulted in a series of diplomatic complaints from the host country.
“Well, our Ambassador (Renato Villa) was summoned three times and our counterparts conveyed some messages. Basically, they questioned our embassy’s rescue action, if we are abiding by their laws, and if there was an abuse in the diplomatic status, because of the car with diplomatic plate,” Cayetano said on the sidelines of the welcome ceremony for the last batch of repatriates from Kuwait at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.
Cayetano was referring to the recent rescue operations conducted by certain embassy staff to extricate some distressed OFWs from their employers.
The rescue was documented through snippets of video footages shared to the members of the media last week by DFA Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato, who heads the DFA’s Office of Public Diplomacy.
In one of the videos uploaded by Cato, a female OFW is seen running to a waiting Sports Utility Vehicle with a man speaking in Tagalog helping her load her luggage into the vehicle.
Cayetano justified that rescue operations are intended to cases with “grave danger” or “life or death situation” and are coordinated with Kuwaiti authorities.
He, however, said the process of coordination with the Kuwaiti authorities usually takes some time.
“Siempre, kung mapaabot sa inyo na duguan na o ginugulpi or, very likely, nasasaktan siya or may gagawin or continuous na ‘yung abuse, ‘pag hinintay mo ‘yung normal process, may katagalan,” Cayetano said.
Pending the diplomatic complaints from Kuwaiti authorities, Cayetano said the Philippine Embassy will continue to conduct rescue operations since they have been receiving four or five requests daily.