MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday said he is seeking a “soft landing” on the diplomatic row between the Philippines and Kuwait, as the two countries try to mend ties damaged by the rescue of distressed Filipino workers by Philippine embassy officials.

“Hindi nalang ako makiki pag-ano kasi nandun sila. So soft landing lang talaga ako, soft landing lang. Di ako basta basta magsasalita because so much is at stake,” Duterte said during his labor day speech in Cebu City.

(I won’t say anything more since I want a soft landing. There’s so much at stake.)

While Duterte opted not to antagonize Kuwait, he however repeated his call for Filipinos working there to come home.

• Duterte pleads to OFWs in Kuwait: 'Come home'

“Hindi nalang ako aatake kasi may ongoing na pag-uusap. Pero ang minimum ko na gusto ko umalis, pauwiin talaga. Ako ang maghahanap ng pera. Pauwiin lahat, libre na,” he said.

(I will no longer attack because there are ongoing talks. But my minimum [demand] is I want them to come home. I’ll pay for everything.)

The Philippines and Kuwait figured in a diplomatic spat after a video showing a rescue of distressed Filipino domestic workers from their employers' homes in the Gulf state surfaced and went viral.

Kuwait viewed the Philippine embassy’s rescue mission as a violation of its laws and sovereignty, prompting the expulsion of Philippine Ambassador Renato Villa and the recall of its envoy to the Philippines. Kuwait has also detained several Philippine embassy personnel involved in the rescue.

• PH envoy summoned over video showing extraction of maids from Kuwaiti homes

Manila has since apologized for the incident, with Duterte saying he was taking full responsibility.

• Philippines apologizes to Kuwait over OFW rescue

The diplomatic flap occurred just as the Philippines and Kuwait were hammering out a deal for the protection of Filipino workers in the Gulf state.

The Philippines had set the MOU with Kuwait as a condition to end its deployment ban to the Gulf state, a move triggered by the string of deaths of Filipinas working in the Middle Eastern nation.