At least 19 Filipinos remain in police custody in Qatar for participating in an unauthorized political demonstration, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Sunday.

According to DFA Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs Eduardo de Vega, 20 Filipinos were initially arrested, but one has since been released.

“Nineteen remain detained in police custody, though not necessarily in prison,” De Vega clarified in a message to DAILY TRIBUNE.

The arrested individuals were reportedly supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who staged a demonstration on 28 March in support of the former leader on Friday.

Duterte, who turned 80 on the same day, celebrated his birthday in The Hague, Netherlands, where he is facing charges of crimes against humanity before the International Criminal Court (ICC).

De Vega assured that the Philippine Embassy in Doha is providing necessary assistance to the detained Filipinos.

“Embassy officials are meeting with them and are ready to provide legal assistance if they are charged and not released,” he said.

The Philippine Embassy in Doha earlier confirmed that several Filipino nationals were arrested early in the morning for allegedly joining an unauthorized protest.

In an official statement, the Embassy said it is closely coordinating with Qatari authorities to ensure consular assistance for those detained.

“The Embassy reiterates its previous 13 March 2025 advisory for all Filipinos in Qatar to respect local laws and customs regarding mass demonstrations and political activities,” the statement read.

Duterte is suspected of murder qualified as a crime against humanity, allegedly committed in the Philippines between 1 November 2011 and 16 March 2019.

Based on government data, at least 7,000 people were killed under Duterte's drug war; however, both local and international human rights groups disagreed with the figures, stressing that the actual number of victims could be as high as 30,000.