Pinoy gets death in Qatar for spying

MANILA, Philippines - A Filipino has been sentenced to death while two others were meted life imprisonment for espionage and economic sabotage in Qatar, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

DFA spokesman Charles Jose said the sentences were handed down on April 20s.

“A lawyer assisted them throughout the lower court proceedings and the verdict was appealed before Qatar’s court of appeals last May 4,” Jose said.

Jose did not identify the accused Filipinos but said the one sentenced to death was an employee of a state-owned company and two others were technicians in a military base.

“Our embassy will continue to extend assistance to them as long as necessary,” Jose said.

The Doha News said the Filipinos were reportedly accused of providing information to intelligence officials in the Philippines about Qatar’s aircraft, weaponry, maintenance and servicing records, as well as specific details about the names, ranks and phone numbers of staff members.

It said details about a major Qatari company’s investment projects and upcoming contracts were also leaked.

It was not the first time a Filipino was accused of espionage in a foreign country.

In 2005, former police colonel Michael Ray Aquino was arrested in the US in connection with an espionage case, and was extradited to the Philippines in June 2011.

Aquino was a key official of the defunct Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Task Force.