THE Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) yesterday said 19 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) continue to be detained by Qatari authorities for holding a political rally last Friday.
Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega said 20 Filipino workers, not 17 as he earlier reported, were arrested last Friday by Qatari authorities for ‘’suspected unauthorized political demonstrations.”
The Philippine embassy in Qatar did not say if the “political demonstration” being referred to was the gathering of supporters of former president Rodrigo Duterte on the occasion of his 80th birthday last March 28.
De Vega said of the 20 who were arrested, only one has been released.
“Ayon sa ambassador natin sa Doha, Qatar, actually 20. Tapos may isang na-release. Napayagan na makausap sila (According to our ambassador in Doha, Qatar there were actually 20 [who were arrested]. But one has been released. They were able to talk to them),” De Vega said in a radio interview.
He said the embassy is working to have the rest of the Filipinos released from detention.
Embassy officials in Qatar reiterated its advice to Filipinos to refrain from holding political gatherings.
Under Qatar’s Law No. 18 of 2004, unauthorized protests and demonstrations are considered illegal, with public gatherings and protests requiring approval from the government.
Penalties for holding illegal public demonstrations in Qatar range from deportation, imprisonment for up to three years, and a fine of up to 50,000 riyals.
When asked if the rally in which the 20 Filipinos were apprehended and detained were related to Duterte’s detention at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, De Vega replied in the affirmative.
“Ito ay mga tumututol sa pagdadala kay dating pangulong Duterte sa Netherlands (They were against the extradition of former president Duterte to the Netherlands),” he said.
Duterte is detained at the Netherlands in relation to the crimes against humanity case that victims of his administration’s brutal drug campaign filed before the ICC.
GOVT SUPPORT
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) will provide full assistance to the detained OFWs.
Cacdac said Philippine authorities and their Qatar counterparts are in close coordination regarding the arrested Filipinos.
“(We have) sent our labor attache to the police station to provide all the necessary assistance to the affected OFWs,” he said.
Cacdac echoed De Vega’s statement and advised Filipinos working and living abroad to adhere to the laws of their host countries.
“Let us adhere to and respect the laws and customs of their host countries, particularly with regard to public gatherings and the expression of political views, to avoid occurrence of similar incident,” he said.
PH PROTESTS
The PNP yesterday said it is not expecting any pro-Duterte rallies in the coming days following last Friday’s generally peaceful protests which coincided with the former president’s birthday.
“We have no information or we are not expecting rallies (in the coming days) to show support to the former president,” PNP spokesperson Brig. Gen. Jean Fajardo told a radio interview.
Nevertheless, Fajardo said the PNP will continue to monitor developments even as he assured the public that the police remains ready to ensure peace and order.
“We will continue to monitor possible lighting rallies or any similar activities. The PNP is ready to respond to provide security,” she said.
She said the PNP has not recorded any untoward incident during last Friday’s protests in several areas, including in Duterte’s hometown in Davao City.
“Based on our monitoring of the activities and events related to the celebration of the birthday of our former president, it was generally peaceful,” said Fajardo.
“The activities ended without any untoward incident,” she added.
Fajardo said the Friday rallies were attended by some 60,000 people.
Duterte supporters have been holding protest rallies after the former president was arrested last March 11. They have been denouncing the arrest and continue to demand his return to the Philippines. – With Gerard Naval and Victor Reyes
