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DFA secures pardon for 7 OFWs in Maldives


Philippine authorities in Maldives have secured presidential pardon for seven overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) convicted for credit card theft in 2009. "These Filipinos were found guilty of credit card theft on different occasions and using them to purchase goods amounting to about US$60,000 (P2.691 million) in February 2009," the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on its website on Thursday. While only three OFWs were involved in stealing the cards, the other four received goods purchased using the stolen cards, a crime punishable under Maldivian penal code. All seven were repatriated on August 13. Bahnarim Guinomla, Philippine Ambassador to Dhaka, said the seven Filipinos were released, on the condition that they will not return to Maldives during their sentence period of 25 years. It said their pardon and repatriation were made possible with the help of the Embassy, the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Maldives, and former Philippine Ambassador to Dhaka Zenaida Tacorda-Rabago. The Embassy took advantage of the recently approved "Clemency Law," which empowers the President to grant pardons to prisoners. Citing court records, the DFA said the seven OFWs were meted the maximum penalty of 63 years and 11 months. However, with the successful intervention of the Philippine Honorary Consul, the court reduced the penalty to 25 years' imprisonment. The wife of one of the repatriates sent a letter to the Embassy thanking them for their efforts to secure the pardon for her husband. "On behalf of my family, I would like to thank you for all the help you have done for them [repatriates]. And also to the good Ambassador Rabago for being an instrument for their early repatriation," she said. "It was a painful experience, but great lessons would be learned from this. We are looking forward and putting this bad experience behind us. We are thankful for a second chance and grateful for a new beginning," the wife added. The DFA did not name the letter sender. –VVP, GMANews.TV

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