UAE pardons 68 Filipino detainees

THE UNITED Arab Emirates (UAE) has pardoned about 68 Filipinos detained on humanitarian grounds, according to the Foreign Affairs department on Tuesday.

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) expressed gratitude to the Middle Eastern country for pardoning the Filipino detainees last month. It did not disclose specific offenses committed.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs would like to express its gratitude to the government of the UAE for granting humanitarian pardon to 68 Filipino detainees on the occasion of the celebration of Eid al-Adha last month,” it said.

“This generous and benevolent gesture is a testament to the robust bilateral relations between the Philippines and the UAE, and a lasting gift to the families of the pardoned Filipinos,” the DFA added.

In March, it granted clemency to about 115 detained Filipinos ahead of its Ramadan celebration. It had also pardoned a total of 363 Filipinos last year.

The UAE typically conducts mass pardoning ahead of major Islamic holidays, like the month of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice.

During his fourth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. thanked Middle Eastern countries like the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, for extending clemency to detained Filipinos.

“Through our diligent diplomatic efforts, more than 600 of our fellow Filipinos who were convicted of various legal violations abroad — particularly in the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and other countries — were granted pardon over the past three years,” Mr. Marcos said last Monday. — Adrian H. Halili