MANILA – The cases against 17 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were arrested and detained in Qatar for illegal protest during the 80th birthday of former President Rodrigo Duterte has been dismissed.
According to Presidential Communications Office’s Undersecretary Claire Castro, the information was relayed to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. during a meeting with Qatari ambassador Ahmed Saad Al-Homidi on Monday.
“Ito po ay talagang tinutukan ng Pangulo at ito nga po ang resulta, ma-dismiss ang kaso at mapalaya na sila,” Castro said in a media briefing at the Malacañang Palace on Monday noon.
“Nakikita po natin kung gaano po ba kabilis magtrabaho ang ating Pangulo. Kaya parang ito ay taliwas sa mga bintang ng iba na walang nangyayari sa ating bansa,” she added.
The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier said a total of 20 OFWs were arrested for participating in a non-violent but unauthorized rally at a beach some 70 kilometers outside Doha on March 27.
It said that the detained Filipinos took part in a rally that was likely organized to protest the arrest of Duterte, who faces charges of crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court.
Three of the arrested Filipinos were still minors and were the first to be released. The other members of the group were given provisional release by the Qatari government last week./PN
