Some 220 Filipinos were pardoned by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the country’s celebration of its 53rd National Day, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced on Monday.

“Mga minamahal kong kababayan, ikinagagalak kong ipabatid na sa okasyon ng ikalimampu’t tatlong National Day ng United Arab Emirates, dalawang daan at dalawampung Pilipino ang pinagkalooban ng pardon ni Kanyang Kamahalan Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan,” President Marcos said in a video message.

“We extend, of course, our heartfelt gratitude to His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, whom I also had the honor to meet, for this very compassionate gesture,” he said.

The recent UAE decision brings the total number of Filipinos pardoned at 363 as 143 of them were earlier pardoned during the Eid al-Adha.

This manifests the strong relations between the two nations, the President added.

The documents are being processed to allow those pardoned to immediately return to the country, the President noted.

“Sa kanilang pag-uwi, nawa’y maging ligtas ang kanilang paglalakbay pauwi sa kanilang mahal na lupang tinubuan,” he said.

President Marcos had a one-day working visit to the UAE last November and secured several bilateral agreements in a trip described as “short but highly productive.”

The diplomatic relations between the Philippines and UAE were established on August 19, 1974. | PND