Seventeen Filipino nationals remain in police custody in Qatar following their arrest for joining a political demonstration, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Saturday.
DFA Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega, in an interview with Dobol B TV, said the group is being held at a police station about an hour outside the capital city of Doha.
“Mayroong 17 na nasa police station pa… mga one hour from the capital Doha,” de Vega stated.
According to de Vega, the Filipinos were reportedly protesting in connection with the birthday and recent detention of former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte.
“Mukhang ganoon po ang dahilan po. At saka alam natin na kaarawan ng dating presidente kaya ‘yun ang dahilan kaya nagra-rally sila,” he added.
The Philippine Embassy in Doha earlier released a statement acknowledging the arrests, which occurred on March 28, and confirmed they were due to “suspected unauthorized political demonstrations.”
In Qatar, all forms of political rallies are strictly prohibited. De Vega stressed this, saying, “Lahat ng klase ng political rally, bawal sa Qatar.”
He assured the public that Philippine officials are closely monitoring the situation and will provide assistance to the detained Filipinos.
“Palagi tayong may abogado sa embassy doon… Pero ang problema, iba ang justice system doon. Minsan, ayaw nila na may embassy munang kausap hangga’t hindi tapos ang imbestigasyon,” de Vega explained, noting that minor infractions may only result in a few days of detention.
The DFA continues to urge Filipinos abroad to comply with local laws and customs, especially in countries with strict regulations on public assembly.
