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Russia frees 24 Filipinos after Marcos talks with Putin
ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos • • general
Key Points:
- Russia has released 24 Filipinos who were detained without charges for about nine months in Irkutsk, Siberia, following Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s intervention during a meeting with President Vladimir Putin.
- The detainees are expected to arrive in Manila in two flights, with the first group welcomed by Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro, who accompanied Marcos to the Kazan summit.
- Marcos raised the issue during the ASEAN-Russia summit in Kazan, where he also discussed the broader diplomatic relations between ASEAN and Russia on the 35th anniversary of their ties.
- Reports suggest the detained Filipinos were possibly victims of illegal job recruitment and detained due to immigration violations, though Russian authorities initially claimed to be unaware of the situation.
- Approximately 15,000 Filipinos live and work in Russia, highlighting the significance of the issue for the Philippine government and its citizens abroad.
