President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed deep gratitude to United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for granting clemency to 115 Filipino convicts during Ramadan and Eid-Al-Fitr.
“The UAE Ambassador in Manila has personally informed us that for this season’s Ramadan and Eid-al-Fitr, no less than 115 convicted Filipinos have been set free. We recall how the UAE pardoned 143 Filipinos for last year’s Eid-Al-Adha and 220 on the occasion of their National Day,” said Marcos Jr.
“This gesture is a reflection of our countries’ special partnership, as embodied in the nearly one million Filipinos who have made the Emirates their home and in the warm personal friendship and mutual respect between myself as the leader of the Filipino people and Sheikh Mohamed as the leader of the Emiratis,” he added.
The President thanked Sheikh Mohamed on behalf of the Philippine government, calling the pardon a compassionate act. He noted that this royal pardon embodies the spirit of Ramadan and emphasizes the importance of second chances.
“As the Philippines celebrates this occasion, both nations reaffirm their commitment to strengthening ties, ensuring acts of kindness like this lead to further cooperation and understanding,” said Marcos Jr.
On March 28, 2025, the UAE Embassy in Manila informed the Department of Foreign Affairs about the royal pardon and requested help in sharing the names of those pardoned.IMT
