FOREIGN AFFAIRS Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano said he would step down if President Rodrigo R. Duterte asks him to and if personnel under his agency lose faith in him.
Mr. Cayetano also disclosed that some embassy personnel in Kuwait were facing kidnapping charges over their rescue efforts in behalf of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there. But he maintained that no crime was committed on their part.
“If the President wants me to go, I will go happily and I will continue to support him. If a majority in the Department of Foreign Affairs says, ‘We cannot follow you,’ I have no business being here,” he told reporters at the airport in Pasay City after the arrival of expelled Philippine Ambassador to Kuwait Renato O. Villa Wednesday evening.
Mr. Cayetano was responding to news reports that DFA career diplomats allegedly sent a letter to Malacañang calling for his resignation and that of his appointees over the diplomatic conflict with Kuwait. He confirmed that there were resignation calls but said this did not come from career officials as reported.
“Now, if there are people making calls, it’s their privilege and I respect that. But don’t use the name of the Department, of the career officials unless they really made the calls. There was a senator, an ex-congressman who did call for my resignation. But if you’re going to use the career officials, let them speak for themselves,” Mr. Cayetano said.
In his meetings with the DFA personnel, Mr. Cayetano said they understood his decisions over the developments with Kuwait, even if they disagreed with his direction on the matter.
He also welcomed Mr. Villa who arrived in Manila Wednesday evening after being expelled by the Kuwaiti government due to the rescue efforts of the Philippine Embassy in the Persian Gulf state.
“I feel with pride and honor that I have been given the opportunity to serve our country, and most especially our kababayan (countrymen), fellow Filipinos, in Kuwait for almost three years,” Mr. Villa said.
IMMUNITY
On the kidnapping charges against Filipino embassy personnel in Kuwait, Mr. Cayetano said, “In layman’s terms, they were charged with kidnapping. (Kuwait) is saying that it’s like they kidnapped the OFW who was inside the house. We are explaining that we don’t respond unless, first, we coordinate with them.”
“They’re covered by diplomatic immunity, and even if they’re not, there was no crime. But they said, we have to sort it out, they have to investigate. We’re getting near to understanding each other,” he added.
Mr. Cayetano noted that 35 of 38 rescue efforts were coordinated with Kuwaiti authorities.
He reiterated the Philippines’ appreciation of Kuwait’s desire to “move forward” from the diplomatic row between the two countries.
“The positive response we have received from Kuwait now provides us with an excellent opportunity to write a new chapter that should allow us to overcome any and all future challenges between our two countries,” he said.
Mr. Cayetano also appealed to the public to remain calm as recent developments on this issue were “part of the misunderstanding.”
For his part, Presidential Spokesperson Harry L. Roque, Jr. said Mr. Cayetano has “no reason” to resign.
“I think he still has the full trust and confidence of the President, and I think what we have in Kuwait is something that can be overcome eventually, sooner or later,” Mr. Roque said in his press briefing on Thursday.
On whether Mr. Duterte intends to hold anyone accountable for the current diplomatic crisis, Mr. Roque said: “We are deferring to Secretary Cayetano for the time being. It is his subordinates.”
Regarding a planned meeting between the Philippines and Kuwait, Mr. Roque said, “Nothing is etched in stone. We [do] not [have] tickets…. We are hoping, not sure yet.”
He added that Malacañang is “hoping to normalize” the country’s relation with Kuwait “soon.”
In his forum on Thursday, US Ambassador Sung Y. Kim said when asked about a suggestion for the United States to act as third-party mediator: “We extend our best wishes to both countries to resolve this difficult situation and if we can be helpful, I’m sure my colleagues in Washington would consider any such requests seriously.”
Mr. Kim also emphasized it was hard for him to comment further since the US was not yet approached on the matter. — Camille A. Aguinaldo with Arjay L. Balinbin

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