THE Qatari government has dismissed charges of illegal assembly against 17 overseas Filipino workers who were arrested and detained last March 28, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. posted in his Facebook and Instagram accounts.
The president also said no penalties will be imposed on the 17 workers, who have likewise been allowed to return to their works.
“I’m happy to share with you that Qatar has confirmed it will not pursue charges against the 17 Filipinos who were earlier detained for illegal assembly. They will not face any penalties and will be allowed to return to work. We received this good news after my meeting with H.E. Ahmed Saad Nasser Abdullah Al Homidi, Ambassador of Qatar to the Philippines,” he said.
Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said the president and the ambassador met yesterday morning in Malacañang.
Castro, quoting the Qatari envoy, said the release of the 17 OFWs reflects the good and stable friendship of the Philippines and Qatar.
She said the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW), on the president’s directive, worked for the immediate release of the 17 OFWs who were among the 20 Filipinos arrested on March 28 after they joined a protest action in relation to the March 11 arrest and turnover of former president Rodrigo Duterte to the International Criminal Court (ICC) where he is facing charges of crimes against humanity in connection with the extrajudicial killings related to his administration’s brutal drug war.
The three other Filipinos, including two minors, were released ahead of the 20.
The DMW last week said the Qatari government had provisionally released the 17 OFWs and allowed them to return to their homes in Doha while the charges of illegal assembly were pending against them.
