TWO Filipino overseas workers in Oman, convicted and imprisoned for criminal offenses, have been granted royal pardons on the occasion of the Isra Wal Miraj, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
“Philippine Embassy in Muscat was informed by the Sultanate of Oman that His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said has pardoned two Filipinos convicted and serving their respective sentences for criminal offenses,” the DFA said in a statement.
The Isra Wnd Mi’raj is an Islamic religious celebration marking the physical and spiritual journey that Muhammad, took during a single night around the year 621.
In the Isra part of the journey, Muhammad travels on the steed Buraq to “the farthest mosque” where he leads other prophets in prayer.
He then ascends to heaven in the Mi’raj journey where he speaks to God, who gives Muhammad instructions to take back to the faithful regarding the details of prayer. This remembrance of this journey is one of the most significant events in the Islamic calendar.
The embassy in Oman, led by Ambassador Narciso Castañeda, is already working for the early repatriation of the two Filipino workers, the DFA said without identifying the pardoned convicts.
Castañeda expressed his gratitude to the Sultanate for its strong cooperation with the Philippine government on OFW concerns.
He said the pardon is proof of the continued and untiring efforts of the Embassy and the DFA in addressing the issues of distressed OFWs in Oman.
