Gov’t assisting OFWs in Qatar spying case

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine government will extend assistance and support to three Filipinos jailed for alleged espionage and economic sabotage in Qatar, Vice President Jejomar Binay said yesterday.

Binay issued the statement to allay fears of the families of the three Filipinos, saying that the cases are still on appeal and there is still hope.

“They will still go to many appeals that is why the case will take long. Our embassy is helping them,” he said.

“They are entitled to appeal four times. Their relatives must not lose hope,” he added.

The Doha News reported that the overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were accused of providing information to intelligence officials in the Philippines about Qatar’s aircraft, weaponry, maintenance and servicing records, and details about the names, ranks and phone numbers of staff members.

One of the OFWs was sentenced to death last month while the two others were meted life imprisonment for espionage and economic sabotage in Qatar.

Binay said the government is hoping that the OFW sentenced to death will secure an acquittal, but the Philippines is leaving the case to the judicial system of Qatar.

The verdict was elevated to Qatar’s appellate court. If the court upholds the verdict, the Filipinos may still re-appeal their case twice with the same court.

In the event that the original verdict is upheld after the three appeals, the appellants may seek the intervention of the Court of Cassation, Qatar’s supreme court.

Yesterday the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) denied that the Philippines is engaged in espionage even as the Philippine embassy in Doha made representations with the Qatari government following the conviction of the three OFWs.