Manila: The Philippine government was never involved in the spying activities of three overseas Filipino workers who were sentenced for espionage in Qatar last April 30, a senior official said in Monday.
“We categorically deny that we are engaged in espionage,” Manila’s Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said.
This issue was raised and discussed with Philippine government officials in high level meetings with Qatari officials when the spying activities of the three OFWs were investigated, said Jose.
One of the OFWs, who was sentenced to death allegedly passed on information about Qatar’s aircrafts, maintenance, servicing, and weaponry to “intelligence officials in the Philippines,” said a record of a lower court in Qatar.
The OFW was assisted by two other OFWs who were sentenced to life imprisonment, for gathering data on identity and contact numbers of Qatari military men, said the same court record.
Earlier, Abigail Valte, deputy spokesman of President Benigno Aquino said that the Department of National Defence (DND) in the Philippines can give clarification about this case.
She did not give details if the OFWs were passing data to the DND, or if some staff members of DND were passing data to an external client.
The OFW who was sentenced to death was a former military man in the Philippines. He was eventually employed in a state-owned company in Qatar. The two other OFWs were employed as technicians in a military base in Qatar.
Their identities were not revealed.
Their relatives in the Philippines were informed about their conviction, said Jose, adding that the Philippine Embassy in Doha has extended legal assistance to the OFWs who appealed their case to Qatar’s Court of Appeals.
The hearing was scheduled for May 26.
They will also be given legal assistance if their case is elevated to the Supreme Court, Jose said.
It was the first time that OFWs were accused and convicted as spies.
About 10 million Filipinos work outside the country. They represent 10 per cent of their country’s population.
