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Russia has freed 24 Filipinos who person been detained for months without charges successful a Siberian city, aft Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. raised interest for them successful a gathering with President Vladimir Putin, Philippine officials said Saturday.
The 2 twelve freed Filipinos were scheduled to get successful Manila successful 2 flights aboriginal Sunday, with the archetypal batch to beryllium welcomed by Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro, who accompanied Marcos successful his talks with Putin connected Wednesday successful the Russian metropolis of Kazan, the Department of Foreign Affairs successful Manila said.
Marcos, who presently holds the rotating presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, led leaders of the 11-nation bloc successful commemorating the 35th day of ASEAN's diplomatic relations with Russia. Marcos held a bilateral gathering with Putin connected the sidelines of the acme successful Kazan.
The merchandise of the Filipinos was comparatively swift aft Marcos raised his interest connected Wednesday. The Philippines is simply a cardinal pact state of the United States successful Asia and was among the bulk of ASEAN members that voted for a U.N. General Assembly solution condemning Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with Philippine President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Romualdez Marcos Jr. connected the sidelines of the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit, successful Kazan, Russia, connected June 17, 2026.
Presidential Communications Office/Anadolu via Getty Images
Marcos met with President Donald Trump last year in the Oval Office to sermon trade. Mr. Trump announced aft the gathering that the Philippines tariff complaint for goods imported into the U.S. volition beryllium 19%, and the Philippines volition assistance each tariffs connected imported U.S. goods.
Singapore was the lone ASEAN subordinate to enforce sanctions connected Russia. Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong joined the Kazan summit.
After his bilateral gathering with Putin, Marcos told reporters that helium raised his interest implicit the Filipinos who person been detained for astir 9 months successful the metropolis of Irkutsk successful southeastern Siberia without charges. He said the Philippines has nary different accusation astir their condition.
There were reports that the Filipinos whitethorn person been victims of amerciable occupation recruitment and taken into custody successful Russia owed to imaginable violations of migration laws, Philippine officials said.
Putin told Marcos that helium was unaware of the occupation but promised to look into it. Over meal connected Wednesday, the Russian president told Marcos that the Filipinos had not been charged with immoderate wrongdoing, Marcos said. "Don't worry, we volition find a mode to hole this problem," Marcos quoted Putin arsenic saying.
The Philippine delegation was yet notified by Russian officials that the Filipinos would instantly beryllium deported backmost to Manila, Marcos said.
About 15,000 Filipinos unrecorded and enactment crossed Russia, according to Philippine Ambassador to Moscow Igor Bailen.
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