The Department of Justice (DOJ) disclosed that 95 Filipino inmates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are now back in the Philippines after being released from UAE prisons.
The Filipinos who were serving prison sentences for various crimes were freed in exchange for two convicted UAE citizens in the Philippines.
“We were the ones who made a demand,” said DOJ Undersecretary Markk Perete during an interview over DZXL.
The DOJ disclosed this after Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that President Rodrigo Duterte had pardoned four foreigners and 135 Filipinos.
The agency credited the Department of Foreign Affairs in making the prisoner swap arrangement with the UAE happen.
“May listahan tayo na hiningi, na ito ating hihingin sa prisoner swap” Perete said.
The prisoners have already returned to the Philippines in two batches.
