Binay welcomes reduced sentence for Filipino ‘spy’ in Qatar, but…

Vice President Jejomar C. Binay welcomed yesterday the news that the death sentence handed down on a Filipino in Qatar for spying has been reduced to life imprisonment, but wants allegations of torture to get out a confession from him investigated.

Binay, who is the Presidential Adviser on Overseas Filipino Workers’ (OFWs’) Concerns, asked the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to continue providing legal help to the accused Filipinos.

Reports also said the sentences of life imprisonment of the two other Filipinos involved in the case were also reduced by Qatar’s appellate court to 15 years in jail.

“This is welcome news, especially for the families of the defendants. I a m a s k i n g t h e D FA t o c o n t i n u e providing legal assistance to our kababayan despite the downgrading of the death sentence,” Binay said in a statement.

“We should not stop fighting for their freedom,” he added.

The three OFWs were convicted last year on charges of espionage for allegedly providing information to intelligence officials in the Philippines about Qatar’s military and economic secrets.

The unnamed defendant, who was originally sentenced to death, reportedly worked at Qatar Petroleum while the other two defendants worked for the Qatar Air Force.

The Philippine government denied it was spying on Qatar.

Meanwhile, the Vice President expressed hope that the Qatari courts will also investigate the allegations that the accused were tortured to get their confessions.

“These are serious allegations and I respectfully urge the Qatari government to investigate the matter,” Binay said.