MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday expressed gratitude to the government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for granting “humanitarian pardon” to 68 Filipino detainees on the occasion of the celebration of Eid Al-Adha last June.
The statement comes a day after President Ferdinand Marocs, Jr. mentioned in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) the country’s appreciation to different governments in the Middle East, including UAE, who granted clemency or pardon for the Filipinos detained for different offenses.
“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 said in a statement.
It is tradition for the UAE to grant pardons to detainees during major Islamic holidays.
Aside from the UAE, President Marcos, Jr. also thanked the governments of Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar in his SONA, acknowledging the presence of a large number of OFWs in the region.
