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Pinoy Abroad

DFA: Pinoy jailed in Moscow repatriated


A Filipino seafarer convicted and jailed in Moscow was released last week and returned to Manila Friday, the Department of Foreign Affairs announced Saturday. The DFA said the seafarer — whose identity was withheld — had been convicted by the Kirovsk City Court of Leningrad for the crime of physical injuries. “[He] was released from prison on Aug. 16. His repatriation to the Philippines was arranged by the Philippine Embassy in Russia. He arrived Friday afternoon in Manila," the DFA said in a news release. The Filipino was released from prison 10 months before the end of his full sentence, according to the DFA. “Because of this, he need not endure another harsh winter in Arkhangelsk." It also noted the release was “timely" since the Philippines and Russia are marking the 35th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. Stabbing incident The DFA said the Filipino seafarer was convicted on Aug. 13 last year for physical injuries. The charges stemmed from a stabbing incident involving another Filipino seaman on board their ship, which was en route from St. Petersburg to Moscow. It said the seafarer had been sentenced to two years in jail. The sentence would have ended June 14, 2012. Before his release, he had been serving his sentence at the Federal Penitentiary Service in the Arkhangelsk Region, some 700 kilometers away from Moscow. Courtesy call Last Aug. 17, the seafarer paid a courtesy call on Philippine Ambassador to the Russian Federation Victor Garcia III. He thanked Garcia for all the hard work and efforts exerted by the embassy in securing his early release. “He mentioned that the Philippine Embassy in Moscow has always been there to assist him from the very beginning, when he was tried in the court at St. Petersburg, until his release from prison and departure back to the Philippines," the DFA said. “Garcia told the Filipino seafarer that his early release was the positive result of the combination of good relations between the Philippines and Russia, the cooperation between the relevant Russian government agencies and the Philippine embassy, and the good conduct which he showed in prison," it added. — JE, GMA News

Tags: seafarers, seamen
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