Duterte thanks Bahrain king for pardon of 2 Pinoys
By Prince Golez
President Rodrigo Duterte on Friday thanked His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa for granting royal pardon to two overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Roderick Aguinaldo and Edward Benjamin Garcia, who have returned to the country, were serving sentence in Bahrain for the death of a foreign national.
Aguinaldo was sentenced to death penalty until his subsequent pardon as a result of the efforts of the Philippine government.
“The President extends his deepest gratitude and appreciation to His Majesty King Hamad Bin Isa Al Khalifa of the Kingdom of Bahrain for pardoning Roderick Aguinaldo and Edward Benjamin Garcia,” a statement from Malacañang read.
Duterte also lauded the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine Embassy in Manama, Bahrain, the Special Envoy to the Gulf Cooperation Council Amable Aguiluz V and the Office of the Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs for leading the eventual release and repatriation of the OFWs.
“The President remains committed to further strengthen Philippines-Bahrain bilateral ties across all areas of mutual interest, including in cooperation for the protection and promotion of the welfare of Filipinos in the Kingdom,” the statement also said.
Aguinaldo and Garcia were granted a royal pardon on the occasion of Eid’l Fitr.
