Palace: Embassy in Qatar doing its best for Pinoy on death row
A Malacañang official on Sunday said that the Philippine embassy in Qatar is doing its best for a Filipino who was sentenced to death for espionage and economic sabotage in the emirate.
“Sa lahat ng ating mga embahada at konsulada sa buong mundo, malinaw ang kanilang tungkulin na maghatid ng pagtulong o suporta sa mga Pilipinong nahaharap sa mga usapin at nangangailangan ng legal assistance,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in an interview aired over state-run dzRB.
“Ito ay ginagawa din diyan sa natukoy nating sitwasyon na Pilipinong inakusahan o nasentensyahan hinggil sa mga usapin sa bansang Qatar,” he added.
The Filipino, an employee of a state-owned company, was convicted for stealing and selling sensitive information about the Qatar military to the National Bureau of Investigation and to a senior Army official in the Philippines.
Other FIlipinos who were detained with him, however, said that the man is innocent and being used as a fall guy.
In a report on GMA News' “24 Oras” on Saturday, the convicted Filipino's driver said that his countryman may have been framed by their Qatari boss, who was implicated in an alleged scam involving money. The driver, who was detained but then released, also voiced his suspicion that the charge was raised to espionage in an attempt to cover up for other Qatari nationals who were also involved.
Another Filipino who was detained with the convict and who was also eventually released echoed the driver's sentiments.
But Coloma refused to comment on speculation that the Pinoy on death row is paying for the sins of another, saying he didin’t have adequate information on the matter.
“Wala po akong batayan dahil wala po akong datos ng kaso. Wala po akong batayan na magbigay ng komento sa kanyang sinabi [na fall guy siya,]” he said.
The convicted man was among nine Filipinos arrested in Qatar on March 28, 2010, initially on terrorism charges.
Six of the nine were eventually released. Of the remaining three, along with the man on death row, two were meted life imprisonment for the same offense. — Patricia Denise Chiu/BM, GMA News
“Sa lahat ng ating mga embahada at konsulada sa buong mundo, malinaw ang kanilang tungkulin na maghatid ng pagtulong o suporta sa mga Pilipinong nahaharap sa mga usapin at nangangailangan ng legal assistance,” Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in an interview aired over state-run dzRB.
“Ito ay ginagawa din diyan sa natukoy nating sitwasyon na Pilipinong inakusahan o nasentensyahan hinggil sa mga usapin sa bansang Qatar,” he added.
The Filipino, an employee of a state-owned company, was convicted for stealing and selling sensitive information about the Qatar military to the National Bureau of Investigation and to a senior Army official in the Philippines.
Other FIlipinos who were detained with him, however, said that the man is innocent and being used as a fall guy.
In a report on GMA News' “24 Oras” on Saturday, the convicted Filipino's driver said that his countryman may have been framed by their Qatari boss, who was implicated in an alleged scam involving money. The driver, who was detained but then released, also voiced his suspicion that the charge was raised to espionage in an attempt to cover up for other Qatari nationals who were also involved.
Another Filipino who was detained with the convict and who was also eventually released echoed the driver's sentiments.
But Coloma refused to comment on speculation that the Pinoy on death row is paying for the sins of another, saying he didin’t have adequate information on the matter.
“Wala po akong batayan dahil wala po akong datos ng kaso. Wala po akong batayan na magbigay ng komento sa kanyang sinabi [na fall guy siya,]” he said.
The convicted man was among nine Filipinos arrested in Qatar on March 28, 2010, initially on terrorism charges.
Six of the nine were eventually released. Of the remaining three, along with the man on death row, two were meted life imprisonment for the same offense. — Patricia Denise Chiu/BM, GMA News
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