3 Filipinos pardoned by UAE may return to PH within one month — DFA official

UAE flag flies over a boat at Dubai Marina, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on May 22, 2015. (File photo from REUTERS/Ahmed Jadallah)

MANILA, Philippines — Three convicted Filipinos who were pardoned by government of United Arab Emirates (UAE) are expected to return to the Philippines within one month or less, an official of Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported.

DFA assistant secretary Paul Cortes on Wednesday said while there is no definite time yet, the schedule is based on past experiences in dealing with these types of cases.

“Wala pa tayong definite time frame, but we are hoping in the next month or so, aayusin na ang kanilang mga papales, even less than that,” Cortes predicted during the Laging Handa public briefing.

(We do not have a definite time frame, but we are hoping in the next month or so, the papers will already be fixed, even less than that.)

“Marami naman tayong kababayan na na-pardon na ng UAE in the past and, usually, it takes about a month or even less bago sila mapauwi talaga dito sa Pilipinas,” he explained.

(We have many countrymen who were already pardoned by UAE in the past, and usually, it takes about a month or even less before they get sent back to the Philippines.)

Cortes said once the Filipinos are home, government agencies like Department of Migrant Workers and Department of Social Welfare and Development will help them adjust once more into their communities.

Two of the three convicts were saved from the death row.

The DFA official also disclosed there are more Filipinos who were convicted in UAE.

However, he withheld the number of Filipino prisoners in the Emirates.

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