The Philippines apologized on Tuesday to Kuwait for smuggling Filipino workers, after the Gulf state protested the move, which it viewed as a violation of diplomatic norms and an infringement on Kuwait’s sovereignty. The crisis has led to a deterioration in relations between the two countries, as Kuwaits Foreign Ministry summoned the Philippine ambassador twice and handed him two protest notes. The foreign ministry also accused the Philippine embassy of carrying out acts that "represent an infringement and violation of Kuwaits sovereignty and laws." A number of Kuwaiti National Assembly members have demanded the expulsion of the Philippine ambassador, accusing him of "violating the sovereignty of the state and breaking the law and diplomatic norms." Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano apologized on Tuesday for the embassys behavior. He told reporters: "We are apologizing for certain incidents that the Kuwaitis view as a violation of their sovereignty." Cayetano said the Philippines extended the apology to Kuwaiti Ambassador Musaed Saleh Ahmad al-Thwaikh but would reiterate it in a formal apology to be sent to the Kuwaiti government. “I apologize to my counterpart and we apologize to the Kuwaiti government, Kuwaiti people and the leaders of Kuwait if they were offended by some actions taken by the Philippine embassy in Kuwait, but we have explained to their ambassador, and the ambassador has accepted this explanation,” indicated Cayetano. Earlier this week, Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled al-Jarallah asked the Ambassador of the Philippines to hand over the embassy staff who have helped Filipino domestic workers escape from their sponsors homes. "There will be a decisive and direct response on the embassys action if this issue continues to be unsolved," warned Jarallah. Kuwaiti authorities detained three drivers who drove the embassy cars in the "rescue" operations. The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry announced on Sunday that the General Department of Criminal Investigation was able to arrest two people of Philippine nationality, and during investigations, they admitted to the crime and several similar cases in various areas of the country. Cayetano said President Rodrigo Duterte handed an official apology letter to Kuwait during his meeting with Thwaikh. The President asserted that Philippines respects the sovereignty of Kuwait. "We respect Kuwaiti sovereignty and laws, but the welfare of Filipino workers is also very important," the Foreign Affairs Secretary said, adding that domestic helpers account for more than 65 percent of the more than 260,000 Filipinos in Kuwait. Cayetano indicated that they provided the ambassador with "clarifications,” adding that he would send a similar clarification to Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khalid al-Hamad al-Sabah. Philippines Ambassador, Renato Villa, renewed his countrys apology for violating Kuwaiti sovereignty. In a press conference held at the embassy in Kuwait, the diplomat expressed his countrys "gratitude" to the generosity of the Kuwaiti government to more than "250,000 Filipino citizens who consider Kuwait their second home." He stressed that the mission did not have the slightest intention of insulting Kuwait and its people or violating its sovereignty. The ambassador also welcomed the outcome of the meeting, which the foreign minister held with the Kuwaiti Ambassador in Manila, and discussed the measures that must be taken between the two countries to avoid repeating the incident in the future. He hoped to continue his work with the Kuwaiti government in matters of mutual interest as well as means to strengthen relations between the two countries and the two friendly peoples.