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VERA FILES FACT CHECK: PH media DID report on UAE’s pardon of three Pinoy convicts

The pardon of three Filipino convicts by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the request of President Ferdinand Marcos was reported by the country’s media, contrary to a vlogger’s claim.

By VERA Files

Jul 4, 2023

2-minute read
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The pardon of three Filipino convicts by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the request of President Ferdinand Marcos was reported by the country’s media, contrary to a vlogger’s claim.

A video posted June 27 by YouTube page Mimaa Alicia Comments and on June 28 by Facebook (FB) page Mimaa Alicia claimed that mainstream media ignored news of Marcos’ achievement.

It is not true.

From June 23 to 25, mainstream media groups such as ABS-CBN News, GMA News, Rappler, CNN Philippines, ONE News, Philippine Star, and the Philippine Daily Inquirer published stories about the UAE’s triple clemency.

SAY WHAT: Seven mainstream media organizations reported about the United Arab Emirates’ pardon of three Filipino convicts on June 23. Only two of the three Filipinos pardoned through President Bongbong Marcos’ request were on the death row.Another claim of the vlogger is that all three Filipinos pardoned by the UAE president were on death row. This is inaccurate.

Only two were sentenced to death for drug trafficking while the other was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for slander, a June 23 report by the Philippine Communications Office (PCO) stated.

Marcos, in a phone call, thanked UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan for the pardon that was handed down two months after he sent him two separate letters of appeal for the Filipino workers.

The videos by FB page Mimaa Alicia (created on April 21, 2020) and YouTube channel Mimaa Alicia Comments (created on Nov. 8, 2021) garnered a combined total of 21,843 interactions.

 

Have you seen any dubious claims, photos, memes, or online posts that you want us to verify? Fill out this reader request form or send it to VERA, the truth bot on Viber.

 

(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)

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