By Brian Campued
Authorities have dismissed the charges against the 17 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Qatar for participating in an illegal assembly after being granted a provisional release, Malacañang announced Monday.
This as the President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. met with Qatari Ambassador to the Philippines Ahmed Saad Nasser Abdullah Al-Homidi in Malacañang where the envoy informed the President of the case dismissal.
“Ayon kay Ambassador Al-Homidi, ito raw ang reflection ng maganda at matatag na pagkakaibigan ng dalawang bansa. Ang pagpapalaya ay bunsod ng utos ng Pangulong Marcos sa [Department of Migrant Workers] na tulungang makalaya ang labimpito,” Palace Press Officer and Presidential Communications Office Usec. Claire Castro said in a press briefing.
Castro also reiterated the commitment of the President in providing legal assistance to Filipinos facing charges abroad, noting his prompt response in securing the release of the OFWs and eventually the dismissal of charges against them.
“Nakikita po natin kung gaano po kabilis magtrabaho ang ating Pangulo, kaya parang ito po ay taliwas sa mga bintang ng iba na walang nangyayari sa ating bansa. Ito po ay talagang tinutukan po ng ating Pangulo,” Castro said.
The Filipinos—12 adult males, five adult females, and three minors—were arrested on March 27 after participating in a rally supporting former President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently detained by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Netherlands while awaiting trial for charges of crimes against humanity during his war on drugs campaign.
Cabinet officials may attend April 10 Senate hearing
Malacañang had also confirmed that several Cabinet officials would attend the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs’ hearing on the arrest of former President Duterte, which was scheduled on Thursday.
According to Castro, among the government officials who might attend the Senate probe are Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Prosecutor General Richard Anthony Fadullon, Chief State Counsel Dennis Arvin Chan, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Philippine Center on Transnational Crime Executive Director Anthony Alcantara, PNP Chief PGEN. Rommel Franscisco Marbil, CIDG Chief PMGEN. Nicolas Torre, Migrant Workers Sec. Hans Leo Cacdac, Special Envoy on Transnational Crimes Markus Lacanilao, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chief counsel RJ Bernal, and SEC Atty. Ferdinand Santiago.
These officials, however, could still invoke executive privilege in refusing to answer questions during the Senate hearing, Castro added.
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