Pro-Duterte OFWs held in Qatar over illegal rally
A support group for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Middle East urged the government to provide legal assistance to more than a dozen Filipinos who were arrested in Qatar for rallying against the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte allegedly without proper authorization from the Qatari government.
Migrante Middle East told the Inquirer on Saturday that the 17 OFWs were demanding Duterte’s release from a detention center in The Hague, the Netherlands, after he was surrendered by the Philippines to the International Criminal Court to face the charge of crime against humanity, specifically murder, in relation to the extrajudicial killings in his brutal war on drugs.
“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 said on its Facebook page.
Drop partisan agenda
“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 administration of President Marcos to provide urgent legal aid and avoid “politicizing the issue, especially in cases involving OFWs who may have supported the Duterte administration.”
“The immediate focus should be on securing the release of those arrested, without any partisan agenda,” it said.
The Philippine Embassy in Qatar had confirmed the arrest of “several” Filipinos for staging a protest.
“The Embassy is in touch with local authorities for the provision of necessary consular assistance to said nationals,” the Embassy said in a statement.
The Embassy and Migrante did not say where the rally was held.
Quebec Mass scrapped
In the central Canadian province of Quebec, a Catholic church canceled a supposed “birthday party” that was also meant to express support for Duterte.
According to the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP)-Quebec Chapter the aborted event had been scheduled for Friday at the Catholic Church of Montreal, but this was canceled after it informed the church of the supposed full scope of the event.
It said the venue reservation for Duterte’s 80th birthday celebration on March 28 was made “in good faith” but “without complete knowledge of the nature and purpose of the event.”
“Once concerns were raised and the context clarified, the Montreal Church authorities acted quickly and responsibly to cancel the event,” ICHRP said.
In its letter to the church, the organization said that Duterte, on multiple occasions, “publicly blasphemed God, insulted Pope Francis and slandered priests and nuns,” and this was widely denounced by church officials in the Philippines and elsewhere.
Contrary to principles
Allowing the event to continue could have been perceived as “contrary” to the moral principles of the church, especially since local catholic organizations in the Philippines, such as the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines had welcomed Duterte’s arrest.
“This is a powerful reminder that sacred places must never serve to legitimize impunity or to smear the image of people accused—in a credible manner—of serious human rights violations. Churches are places of prayer, healing, and truth. They must remain safe spaces for victims and prophetic voices,” ICHRP said.
In Manila, senatorial candidate Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Saturday cautioned against the potential suspension of tax privileges for OFWs protesting against the arrest of the former president, calling the proposal unjust and an attack on free speech.
“OFWs are the backbone of our economy. Their hard work and sacrifices, often made at the cost of being away from their loved ones, contribute significantly to keeping the Philippine economy afloat. To threaten them with the removal of their hard-earned privileges simply for exercising their right to free expression is wrong and deeply unjust,” he said.
“It is through dialogue and understanding—not threats—that we can build a better future for our people,” he added.
Some pro-Duterte groups in Europe called on OFWs to stop remitting money to their families from March 28 to April 4 to express sympathy for Duterte.
Chief presidential legal counsel Juan Ponce Enrile had warned them that Congress might retaliate by canceling or suspending the tax privileges for those who were calling for “zero remittance week.”
“Whoever advised OFWs to suspend the remittance of their earnings … should think many, many times about the adverse consequences of that advice,” Enrile had said. “As I said before, for every action, there is always a possible counteraction.”
Pangilinan said that such kind of retaliation against OFWs would set a dangerous precedent.
“What if, in the future, the country were under a different leadership that weaponizes such threats against OFWs? It is a slippery slope that could erode the very rights and freedoms our democracy stands for,” he said.
