Gov't to help Filipinos arrested in Qatar for holding protest rally

Malacañang said the government will help the 20 Filipinos who were arrested in Qatar for supposedly holding an unauthorized political demonstration on Friday, March 28, as it assured the public that the administration will not forsake any Filipino needing assistance abroad.

- By ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS and RAYMUND ANTONIO

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega said that of the original 20 Filipinos detained, four of them-three minors and their mother-were already released from detention. However, the mother remains in custody of the police for investigation.

"Three of the protesters were minors, teenagers, and were later freed.

Their mother, though, is still in custody of the police," he said.

The Philippine Embassy in Doha had earlier announced that 20 Filipinos were detained last week because of a political demonstration, believed to be connected to the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte and his subsequent surrender to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague.