DFA denies third report related to Kuwait diplomatic row

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs has again denied reports related to the Kuwait diplomatic row, this time about the water and electricity supply of Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato Villa's official residence being cut off.

"No less than Ambassador Villa himself has said the power loss was temporary and was restored after three hours and that the water supply was never interrupted and that at no point did he feel unsafe to require him to move to the Embassy," DFA said in a statement released late Thursday evening.

READ: Kuwait cuts off power, water to Philippine envoy’s home

DFA described the report as "inaccurate" and slammed The STAR reporter Pia Lee-Brago's use of "unnamed sources."

Previously, DFA also denied a report that career diplomats of the DFA have sent a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte asking for the resignation of Alan Peter Cayetano.

"Pia Lee-Brago wanted us to believe the next day that the career corps is up in arms against the Secretary on the basis of a supposed letter shared to her by her sources," DFA said in their statement.

READ: Career diplomats want Cayetano, aides to resign

The career officers letter obtained by The STAR said: "The diplomatic row between the Philippines and Kuwait has unmasked the gross incompetence of DFA Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and his top aides who are now a liability to the Duterte administration.”

"Having no vision on foreign policy, Cayetano and his top aides miscalculated Kuwaiti reaction to the controversial rescue missions of distressed Filipino housemaids. This blunder resulted in the expulsion of our Ambassador to Kuwait, Rene (Renato) Villa, who was declared persona non grata by the host government,” the officers added.

The diplomatic tensions between Kuwait and Philippines has also reportedly caused Cayetano to engage in a shouting match with Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III over who should be blamed.

READ: Cayetano, Bello in shouting match?

Both Cayetano and Bello denied that they had a shouting match.

READ: Bello denies reported 'shouting match' with Cayetano

The DFA claims that the reports "appears to be part of a well-orchestrated campaign to undermine the Department’s efforts to protect the rights and promote the welfare of our kababayans overseas."

Diplomatic relations between Kuwait and Philippines soured after embassy officials conducted "rescue" operations for OFWs who asked for help to flee their employers.

A video of the said operations was released to the public by the DFA and other government officials. Kuwait saw the operations as a breach of their soverignty and a violation of diplomatic conventions.

The Kuwait Foreign Ministry declared Philippine envoy to Kuwait Renato Villa as persona non grata and expelled him. They also recalled their own ambassador to the Philippines.

Several warrants of arrests were issued against embassy personnel on charges of kidnapping.

Cayetano was appointed as DFA secretary by Duterte almost a year ago on May 2017 after the 1 year appointment ban on losing candidates lapsed.

Cayetano was Duterte's runningmate in the 2016 presidential elections. He lost to Leni Robredo in the vice presidential race.