17 OFWs detained in Qatar freed; charges dropped
The Qatari government has cleared 17 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) of the charges of illegal assembly lodged against them after they joined a protest rally condemning the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, Malacañang announced on Monday.
In a social media post, President Marcos relayed the “good news” after talking with Qatari Ambassador to the Philippines Ahmed Saad Nasser Abdullah Al-Homidi, who informed him about the dismissal of the charges and the release of the 17 Filipinos.
“I am happy to announce that Qatar will no longer prosecute the 17 of our compatriots who were recently detained there for illegal assembly. They will no longer face any punishment and can return to work,” the President said.
The OFWs were arrested in a Doha resort on March 27, a day before Duterte’s 80th birthday, at a rally seeking the former president’s return to the Philippines. The rally was held without prior authorization from Qatari authorities.
Duterte was surrendered to operatives of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) upon his arrival on March 11 at Ninoy Aquino International Airport from Hong Kong. He was immediately brought to the International Criminal Court (ICC) headquarters in The Hague, the Netherlands, before the day ended.
Duterte is held at the ICC’s detention complex in The Hague and awaiting trial for the charge of murder as a crime against humanity concerning his brutal antidrug campaign that left thousands dead from 2011 to 2019 when he served as Davao City mayor and later as Philippine president.
Close ties
In a press briefing on Monday morning, Palace press officer Claire Castro said Malacañang had yet to break the “good news” to the 17 OFWs’ families in the country.
“It was only this morning (Monday) that [President Marcos and Ambassador Al-Homidi] had this talk and it became final. If they are watching this press briefing, they could be jumping for joy now,” she noted.
Quoting Al-Homidi, Castro said the dropping of charges against the OFWs was a “reflection of the beautiful and strong friendship” between the Philippines and Qatar.
“We can see how fast our President works, contrary to allegations that nothing good is happening in our country,” she said.
“Our President really focused on this so that help could be given to our 17 compatriots in Qatar, and this is the result that the case has been dismissed and they have been released,” Castro added.
She said the choice is up to the 17 OFWs if they wish to resume working in Qatar or return to the Philippines.
Castro, who is also Presidential Communications Office undersecretary, would not say whether the OFWs’ release was an offshoot of the President’s talks with the Qatari ambassador or whether the matter was already resolved before their meeting.
“There was a meeting a while ago and it was said that there would be a piece of good news. As for the timeline at the start of discussions, I was not given the details,” she said.
Temporary freedom
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) reported last week that the OFWs had been granted provisional release and were allowed to return to their respective homes in Qatar.
However, they still were barred from leaving the country while under investigation.
“Pending investigation, they are able to all go home, to their respective homes in Qatar, in Doha and able—yes, able to spend time for themselves and their loved ones. But at the same time, since they are still subject to investigation, the directive of the President is to provide the necessary legal assistance to the 17 who are still under investigation,” Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said in an earlier Palace briefing.
The DMW said the workers were released in two batches in the early morning of April 4: The first was composed of 12 males, followed by a group of five females about an hour and a half later. Three minors who were also arrested with them were released earlier.
On March 13, the Philippine Embassy in Qatar had issued an advisory reminding Filipinos to respect local laws and customs regarding mass demonstrations and political rallies after Duterte supporters held protests in other countries following his arrest in Manila and subsequent detention in the Netherlands.
Qatar’s Law No. 18 of 2004 considers protests and demonstrations illegal unless sanctioned by the government.
According to the DMW, violators face a jail term of between six months and three years and a fine ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 Qatari riyals (about P156,000 to P784,000 at current exchange rates).
Legal aid
A support group for OFWs in the Middle East had also urged the government to provide legal assistance to arrested Filipinos in Qatar.
“While we acknowledge that every individual has the right to express their opinions, even if we may differ in our political beliefs, we emphasize that this should not compromise their safety or jeopardize their employment abroad,” Migrante Middle East said on its Facebook page.
“We emphasize the critical importance of thoroughly studying the laws and regulations of their respective host nations, exercising safety in all expressions of opinion,” Migrante added.
While the group clarified that it had a “different political view” from those who were arrested, it urged the Marcos administration to provide urgent legal aid and avoid “politicizing the issue, especially in cases involving OFWs who may have supported the Duterte administration.”
