While Harry Roque, official front man for Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, expressed the hope that this development "will not lead to further deterioration in the bilateral relations between the two countries," the Philippine foreign ministry said on Thursday it has sent an official letter to the embassy of Kuwait, expressing its surprise and displeasure over the expulsion of its ambassador.
"The department [foreign ministry] served a diplomatic note to the Embassy of Kuwait conveying its strong surprise and great displeasure over the declaration of Ambassador Renato Pedro Villa as persona non grata," the ministry said in a statement.
The Philippine foreign minister demanded in the diplomatic note, the Kuwaiti government to explain "the continued detention of four Filipinos hired by the Philippine embassy and the issuance of arrest warrants against three diplomatic personnel."