President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. announced Monday that Qatar will no longer pursue charges against 17 Filipinos, who were detained in the Gulf state for allegedly participating in an illegal assembly.
Mr. Marcos shared the development on his social media account, expressing his relief that the detained Filipinos would not face legal consequences and would be able to return to their work in Qatar.
“I am pleased to announce that Qatar will no longer pursue charges against 17 of our countrymen who were recently detained there for illegal assembly,” President Marcos said.
“They will not face any penalties and will be allowed to return to their jobs,” he added.
The announcement follows a discussion between President Marcos and Qatar’s Ambassador to the Philippines Ahmed Saad Nasser Abdullah Al Homidi. The Filipino leader thanked the Qatari government for its understanding and cooperation in resolving the matter.
The detained Filipinos had been held in Qatar after their arrest for allegedly participating in unauthorized protests during the birthday of former President Rodrigo Duterte on March 28, 2025.
Earlier, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro confirmed Monday that the case against 17 Filipino nationals detained in Qatar has been dismissed, with the workers now free to resume their lives, either in Qatar or back home in the Philippines.
In a press briefing in Malacañang, Castro said the case against the workers initially believed to involve “illegal assembly,” was officially dropped following direct talks between President Marcos and Qatari officials.
“Yes, this is great news for us,” Castro said during the press briefing.
“It shows how fast our President works, contrary to some who claim nothing is happening in our country. This was personally handled by the President to ensure that our 17 compatriots in Qatar would receive the assistance they needed,” she added.
