Migrante-Middle East expressed concern over the arrest of 17 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) by the Qatari government on March 28. They were arrested for staging an “unauthorized” demonstration in the country.

The said OFWs joined a protest defending Rodrigo Duterte and commemorating his 80th birthday. The Migrante-Middle East recognizes the rights of these individuals despite having differing political beliefs.

“We emphasize that this should not cause them harm or affect their employment abroad,” the group stated. The group urged fellow Filipinos in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region to exercise caution in expressing their political views due to the prevailing conditions there.

Migrante-Middle East called on the Marcos administration to provide legal assistance to the detained OFWs and refrain from exploiting the situation for political leverage as Duterte’s chief rival.

“The immediate focus should be on ensuring the release of those arrested, without any partisan agenda,” the group stated. They could face penalties ranging from six months to three years of imprisonment and fines of up to 50,000 riyals.

Additionally, the group urged Filipino migrant workers to deeply examine various political issues in the Philippines. “It is time to stop idolizing political leaders, especially those from dynasties, who abandon their promises and responsibilities once in power,” Migrante-Middle East declared.

The group also challenged OFWs to focus their attention on issues that truly impact their daily lives and efforts to support their families. “We need to continue fighting for a living wage for Filipino families, genuine agrarian reform, an end to contractualization, and the creation of more jobs in the Philippines,” the group stated.