The government of the United Arab Emirates has granted pardon to a total of 68 Filipino nationals imprisoned for various offenses, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Tuesday.

In a statement, the DFA expressed its gratitude to the UAE government for granting humanitarian pardon to the Filipino detainees, who were freed on the celebration of Eid al-Adha last month.

“This generous and benevolent gesture is a testament to the robust bilateral relations between the Philippines and the UAE, and a lasting gift to the families of the pardoned Filipinos,” the department said.

In his fourth State of the Nation Address on Monday, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced that several Filipinos detained in various countries in the Middle East were granted pardon.

Marcos expressed gratitude to the Sultanate of Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait, for granting clemency to the detained Filipinos.

“For their crucial and most beneficent sovereign interventions, I personally convey the entire nation's sincerest gratitude to the Sultanate of Oman, the United Arab Emirates, the State of Qatar, the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, and to all the leaders of various countries that have granted clemency and have shown kindness to our beleaguered compatriots. Maraming, maraming salamat po. Thank you very, very much,” he said.