Manila: The charges against the 17 Filipinos arrested in Qatar for participating in an illegal public demonstration have been dismissed.
According to Philippines News Agency, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. met with Qatari Ambassador to the Philippines Ahmed Saad Nasser Abdullah Al-Homidi in Malaca±ang on Monday morning.
The Qatari envoy informed Marcos that the cases against the Filipinos have been dismissed, Castro said. ‘Ayon kay Ambassador Al-Homidi, ito raw ay repleksyon ng maganda at matatag na pagkakaibigan ng dalawang bansa (According to Ambassador Al-Homidi, this is a reflection of the good and strong friendship between the Philippines and Qatar),’ Castro noted during a Palace press briefing.
The 17 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), which include 12 men and five women, were taken into custody after they joined a rally demonstrating support for former president Rodrigo Duterte. Duterte is currently detained at an International Criminal Court (ICC) facility in The Hague, Netherlands, due to allegations of human rights violations stemming from his war on drugs.
The Philippine government announced on Friday that it had secured the provisional release of the 17 OFWs. This move followed a directive from President Marcos to the concerned government agencies to explore all possible remedies and assistance for the affected Filipinos.
