Several Filipinos in Qatar were arrested and detained for participating in an “unauthorized” political protest on March 28.
The Philippine Embassy in Qatar confirmed the incident on Friday, stating it is providing consular assistance to those detained.
“The Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Doha is aware that several Filipino nationals have been arrested and detained early today, 28 March 2025, for suspected unauthorized political demonstrations in Qatar,” the Embassy said.
“The Embassy is in touch with local authorities for the provision of necessary consular assistance to said nationals,” it added.
In a Facebook post, the Embassy reiterated its previous advisory from March 13, reminding Filipinos in Qatar to “respect local laws and customs relating to mass demonstrations and expressions of political grievances.”
As of writing, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has not released further details on the incident.
Although the nature of the political demonstration was not disclosed, the arrests coincided with simultaneous rallies by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) marking the 80th birthday of former president Rodrigo Duterte, who was recently detained by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged crimes against humanity.
Protests intensified as OFWs who are Duterte loyalists earlier launched a “zero remittance week,” aiming to halt remittances as a show of opposition to the former president’s arrest.
However, OFW rights group Migrante International criticized the initiative, calling it a “misuse” of legitimate protest actions and emphasizing that Duterte’s arrest is lawful and rightfully brought before the Hague.
“The previous sacrifices of OFWs are being twisted and disrespected through the current actions of DDS… Zero Remittance Day is a form of dissent among Filipino migrants for our rights and welfare, not to defend criminals and killers,” Migrante International deputy secretary general Josie Pingkihan said in Filipino.