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Pia Lee-Brago - The Philippine Star
March 31, 2025 | 12:00am
Visitors gather at the FIFA World Cup countdown clock in Doha on October 30, 2022, ahead of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup football tournament.
AFP / Jewel Samad
MANILA, Philippines — A Filipino has been released by Qatari authorities from the group arrested for participating in political demonstrations in that country, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for migrant workers affairs Eduardo Jose de Vega said yesterday.
In an interview on dzBB, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) official clarified that 20 Filipinos, not 17 as previously reported, were arrested.
Representatives of the Philippine embassy in Doha, he said, were allowed by authorities to talk to the detained Filipinos.
The Filipinos were arrested and detained on Friday for participating in unauthorized demonstrations coinciding with the 80th birthday of detained former president Rodrigo Duterte.
“All kinds of political rallies are prohibited in Qatar,” De Vega added.
However, a Filipino worker identified as Allan Jacob denied that the Filipinos were arrested for staging a rally in support of Duterte.
“No rally or political demonstration happened. It was a normal night swimming, picnic and family gathering which is why there were children who were present,” Jacob posted in social media.
The DFA said the embassy is coordinating with local authorities in order to provide necessary consular assistance to the detained Filipinos.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac said the Philippine government has already sent the labor attache, who is also a lawyer, to provide the necessary aid to the affected OFWs.
The embassy reiterated its previous advisory dated March 13, which called “for all Filipino nationals in the country to respect local laws and customs relating to mass demonstrations and expressions of political grievances.”
Migrante-Middle East has expressed concern over the arrest of the OFWs in Qatar and advised Filipino workers in the Middle East to exercise caution in expressing their political views.
It urged migrants to stop idolizing political leaders and focus their attention on issues genuinely affecting their lives and families. — Mayen Jaymalin
