By Ariel Fernandez
Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Villa returned home Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1.
Villa is back home after he was declared persona non grata by the Gulf state over the video showing the rescue of a Filipino domestic helper from the house of her employer.
Villa was welcomed by DFA Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano upon his arrival on board Philippine Airlines Flight PR 699 from Kuwait.
Villa said in his arrival statement that he has done an appropriate action to save the life of the Filipino domestic helper from the hands of her abusive employer.
Cayetano said that the rescue operation was appropriately coordinated with Kuwaiti authorities.
He apologized to the Kuwaiti government, saying that the country’s actions were done “in the spirit of emergency to protect Filipina domestic helper.”
Villa said he was met by a group of Filipino workers before he left as the one-week deadline set by Kuwait ended.
He said that he was glad to be back in the country and happy to have served Filipinos in Kuwait. “I am very glad to be back in the Philippines, I feel pride and honor for having the opportunity to serve our country, most especially our fellow Filipinos in Kuwait for almost three years.”
