DFA: UAE grants humanitarian pardon to 68 Filipinos jailed in country

The UAE government granted a humanitarian pardon to 68 Filipinos jailed in the country, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

The DFA expressed gratitude to the UAE for pardoning the Filipino detainees last month, noting the timing coincided with Eid al-Adha.

The pardon underscores the strong bilateral relations between the Philippines and the UAE, as highlighted in a DFA statement.

The DFA did not disclose the specific offenses committed by the pardoned individuals.

The UAE typically conducts mass pardons ahead of major Islamic holidays, such as Ramadan and Eid al-Adha.

In March, the UAE granted clemency to about 115 detained Filipinos ahead of Ramadan, and had pardoned 363 Filipinos in total last year.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. thanked the UAE and other Middle Eastern countries for their clemency during his fourth State of the Nation Address.