The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) refuted reports stating that some career diplomats’ are calling for the ouster of Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano.
The Philippine Star published on Tuesday, May 2, a report stating that several unnamed career diplomats have sent a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte requesting for Cayetano’s resignation for his “amateurism” and “gross incompetence” amid labor issues between the Philippines and Kuwait.
The news article was released following another article published by Today’s Star on May 1, written by the same reporter, Pia Lee-Brago, claiming that Cayetano and labor secretary Silvestre Bello III shouted at each other while inside the Palace due to the issue.
In a statement, DFA called the articles “malicious” and clarified that the alleged “shouting match” between the two officials never happened.
“It is unfortunate that the Star published unverified information from an anonymous source. It is lamentable that Ms. Brago did not double-check the authenticity of the information that was provided to her nor even attempt to get the side of the Department,” the statement read.
“The alleged clamor by career officials for the Secretary to resign as contained in the supposed letter came from some who do not represent the views of the entire career Foreign Service Corps.”
The labor rift between the two countries escalated when the DFA conducted an “uncoordinated” rescue of OFWs in the Gulf state. The video of the operations was released to the media and later on surfaced on the Internet.
Kuwait then ordered the expulsion of Philippine Ambassador Renato Villa and declared him ‘persona non grata’ for his alleged failure to respond to the Kuwaiti government’s call to explain the incident.
Cayetano has issued an apology for the misunderstanding between the two countries. He, however, clarified that the rescue operations were coordinated with local authorities.
