CBCP exec hopes for peaceful end to PH-Kuwait row over maid rescue

A Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) official has expressed hope that the diplomatic row between the Philippines and Kuwait over the rescue attempt of abused housemaids from their employers would be resolved peacefully.

Bishop Ruperto Santos, chairman of the CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People (ECMI), maintained on Tuesday his support for the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Kuwait on the protection of overseas Filipino workers (OFW).

“It is our prayers and hope that everything will be arranged peacefully in an amicably and diplomatically. We always support the signing of MOU, always after best welfare and well-being of our OFWs,” Santos said.

The rescue of housemaids in Kuwait sparked a diplomatic row after Kuwaiti police arrested two Philippine Embassy staffers for reportedly encouraging the housemaids to run away from their employers.

READ: Kuwait protests PH rescue of housemaids

The arrests were made after a video showing a team from the Philippine Embassy in Kuwait enticing Filipino maids to run away went viral.

The incident also led to the summoning of Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Pedro Villa by the Kuwaiti foreign ministry over the incident.

Meanwhile, Santos said the CBCP ECMI executive secretary would be travelling to Kuwait in May to assist Filipino priests based in the Gulf state.

“To assist, be of service and help our Filipino priests there in Kuwait for our OFWs, our CBCP ECMI executive secretary will go there (from) May 1 to 31,” Santos said.

“Also, (the secretary will travel) to know the real condition there, and to let them feel that the Philippine Church is so concerned with their welfare, and how we can be of help and to serve them,” he added.   /muf