AFTER a series of negotiations by the Philippine government, finally more than 50 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who were charged with various offenses in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were pardoned.
This was confirmed by Presidential Adviser for Filipino Overseas Workers and Muslim Concerns Secretary Abdullah Mamao upon arrival at NAIA terminal 3 the other day from Dubai.
Sec. Mamao said, 30 of the pardoned OFWs have already returned to their families while 21 others are now being processed for repatriation.
“We are very thankful to the UAE government for pardoning all our OFWs who were charged for different violations,” Mamao said.
He added that he will directly report the good news to President Rodrigo Duterte.
Some of the cases of the UAE-based OFWs, composed of 51 workers, are adultery, drugs and petty crimes.
Mamao reiterated that the positive development was not a prisoner exchange even though it involved the release from jail of two Emirates nationals who are charged in a rape case in Baguio City.
Willy M. Balasa
