Locsin wants life of Kuwait OFW killer

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines' top diplomat had asked for the life of the killer of a Filipina household worker in Kuwait.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. earlier summoned Kuwaiti Ambassador Musaed Saleh Ahmad Althwaikh to convey the government's outrage over the lack of protection of Filipino workers in the Gulf state.

Another Filipino domestic worker in Kuwait was purportedly killed by the wife of her employer.

"This is the ONLY official line: 'All I asked for is the life of the taker for the life taken. And I don't care whose life that is. The life of a Filipino—maid or socialite—is the equal of the life of a queen,'" Locsin tweeted Thursday.

The DFA chief added that the rest has nothing to do with Philippine foreign policy.

In an additional tweet, Locsin said authoritative sources of the country's foreign policy are personal to himself and President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Is is the nature of democratic government and republics," Locsin said.

The authoritative sources of Philippine foreign policy are personal: to the President of the Republic and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. It is the nature of democratic government and republics. https://t.co/RqmVIPTNhD

— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) January 2, 2020

The Philippine government had condemned the killing of the Filipina worker, pointing out that the continued incidents of violence of Filipino domestic workers violate the agreement between the two countries.

In May 2018, the Philippines and Kuwait signed a Memorandum of Agreement on the Employment of Domestic Workers which sought to improve working conditions of Filipino household helpers.

Prior to this agreement last year, Duterte banned the deployment of Filipinos to Kuwait due to reported abuses of employers. — Patricia Lourdes Viray

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