Charges vs. Pinoys nabbed in Qatar dismissed, says Palace

Malacañang on Monday announced that the charges against the 17 Filipinos nabbed in Qatar have been dismissed. 

''Ito po ay talagang tinutukan ng Pangulo para po mabigyan po ng tulong ang 17 na kababayan natin dito sa Qatar... Ito nga po ang naging resulta, na-dismiss na po ang kaso at mapalaya po sila,'' Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a briefing.

(The President strictly monitored this so the 17 Filipinos would get aid and this has been the result, the charges have been dismissed and they will be freed.)

Asked about the charges, Castro said, ''Sa atin pong pagkakaalam, ito iyong illegal assembly.''

(As far as we know, it's about the illegal assembly.)

She said the President personally made an appeal to the Qatari government for the release of the 17 Filipinos through Ambassador of Qatar to the Philippines Ahmed Saad Al-Homidi.

''So, dahil nga po sa pakikipag-usap ng ating Pangulo sa gobyerno po ng Qatar sa pamamagitan po ni Qatari ambassador, napagbigyan po tayo na ang ating kapuwa Pilipino na nahuli o na-detain ay makalaya po at hindi na po masampahan ng kaso po,'' she explained.

(Because of our President's appeal to the Qatari government through the Qatari ambassador, our detained countrymen who were nabbed or detained are already freed and they will no longer face any charges.)

In a separate Facebook post, Marcos said the Qatari government will not pursue charges against the Filipinos. 

''They will not face any penalties and will be allowed to return to work,'' Marcos said.

Castro, for her part, said it would be up to the 17 Filipinos whether to continue working in Qatar.

Last week, Department of Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac disclosed that the Qatari government had granted provisional release to the 17 Filipinos arrested in Qatar for illegal assembly.

The Department of Foreign Affairs earlier said the arrested Filipinos participated in a rally which may have been held to oppose the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte due to crimes against humanity charges before the International Criminal Court. —AOL/KG/BM, GMA Integrated News