PRRD not keen on withdrawing Pinoys from Kuwait

MANILA — President Rodrigo R. Duterte does not plan to order the repatriation of Filipino workers from Kuwait, despite the killing of Filipino domestic worker Jeanelyn Padernal Villavende.

In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN aired on Friday night, the President said he has no plan to pull out Filipinos working in the Gulf state because he was satisfied with the Kuwaiti government’s swift response to Villavende’s case.

For Duterte, Kuwait is exhausting all efforts in serving justice for Villavende who was killed by her employer’s wife.

“You know, the situation is quite different. We do not see apathy there and the police authorities of Kuwait acted swiftly. And they have arrested the spouses,” he said. “There were arrests made and there’s an investigation going on. And apparently, justice is being done.

I’m not really keen on moving people out.”

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo earlier said Duterte was “outraged” by Villavende’s death.

Last week, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III announced that the Kuwaiti employers of Villavende have already been arrested and would soon be charged.

The labor department has imposed a partial deployment ban on first-time household workers to the Gulf state following Villavende’s death.

The killing of Villavende has also prompted the review of the existing labor deal between the Philippines and Kuwait.

On May 11, 2018, the Philippines and Kuwait signed a memorandum of agreement on the protection of OFWs in the Arab country, following the series of cases of abuse and death of Filipino workers, including Joana Demafelis whose body was found stored in her employer’s freezer.

The murder of Demafelis had triggered the Duterte government to temporarily prohibit Filipinos from seeking jobs in Kuwait and launch a repatriation program for OFWs in Kuwait who wish to come home.