Kuwait invites Philippines leader to visit amid tensions

KUWAIT CITY – Kuwait’s ruling emir has reportedly invited Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte to his country to resolve tensions after a Filipina maid was found dead in a freezer.

That’s according to a report Monday by Kuwait’s state-run KUNA news agency, which quoted Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled al-Jarallah announcing the proposed visit in March.

It’s unclear if Duterte has accepted the invitation from Kuwait’s emir, the 88-year-old Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah.

Some 250,000 Filipino workers are in Kuwait. Many work as domestic help.

Duterte’s government banned workers from going to Kuwait after the Filipina’s body was found Feb. 6 in a Kuwait City apartment that had reportedly been abandoned for more than a year. Duterte has criticized Kuwait over other Filipino killings and abuse there.