Seventeen Filipinos who were arrested in Qatar for allegedly joining an unauthorized political protest have been provisionally released, the Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) confirmed on Thursday.
DMW Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the release followed direct orders from President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who instructed authorities to act swiftly in ensuring the freedom of the detained individuals.
“The second and more important, should I say directive of the President, was to secure their immediate release,” Cacdac said in a GMA News Online report. “And with gladness, we report today that—of course, based on the President’s directive to secure the immediate release of the 17 who are still detained, the Qatari authorities in two separate batches – the males around 2:30 A.M. Qatari time and the females around 4 A.M. Qatari time were provisionally released pending investigation.”
Although the group has been allowed to return to their homes in Doha, they are not yet permitted to leave the country as an official investigation is still underway.
“This means they have their liberty,” Cacdac added. “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.”
He clarified that no formal charges have been filed against the 17 individuals so far. However, they were initially apprehended for alleged illegal assembly, which under Qatari law could carry a sentence of up to three years in prison and fines ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 Qatari Riyals.
“Our legal counsel in Qatar had put forward this point to the Qatari authorities,” Cacdac said, noting that the President had been particularly concerned about whether or not charges had officially been made.
President Marcos has also directed relevant agencies to extend legal support and monitor the health and welfare of the 17 OFWs.
Cacdac thanked the Qatari government for cooperating and granting provisional release. “We’re very, very thankful to the Qatari authorities, to the Qatari government for allowing the provisional release of the 17 as the investigation proceed,” he said, adding that both legal and welfare assistance will continue.
