Russia has released 24 Filipino nationals who had been held for several months without formal charges in the Siberian city of Yakutsk, Philippine officials confirmed on Saturday.
The release came after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. brought up their situation during a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The freed Filipinos arrived in Manila early Sunday on two separate flights.
Philippine Foreign Secretary, Theresa Lazaro, received the first group of workers after returning from Kazan, where she accompanied Marcos during his discussions with Putin, the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said.
Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Cacdac later welcomed the remaining group before dawn. His office provided unspecified assistance to the workers, who had been detained in a Russian region known for its harsh winter conditions.
Marcos, who serves as the rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), was in Kazan to lead leaders from the 11-member bloc in marking 35 years of ASEAN-Russia diplomatic ties. He met Putin separately on the sidelines of the summit to discuss bilateral issues.
The release of the Filipinos followed shortly after Marcos raised the matter during his talks with the Russian leader on Wednesday. The Philippines, a longtime treaty ally of the United States in Asia, was among the ASEAN nations that supported a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Singapore was the only ASEAN country to introduce sanctions against Russia. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong also attended the Kazan summit.
Speaking after his meeting with Putin, Marcos said he expressed concern over the Filipinos who had been detained for around nine months in Yakutsk, eastern Siberia, without charges. He added that Philippine authorities had limited information regarding their situation.
Philippine officials said there were indications that some of the workers may have been victims of illegal recruitment schemes and were detained over possible immigration-related violations in Russia.
Putin told Marcos he was not aware of the issue but assured him that he would investigate the matter. During a dinner meeting on Wednesday, Putin informed Marcos that the Filipinos had not been accused of committing any offense. Marcos quoted Putin as saying, “Don’t worry, we will find a way to fix this problem.”
The Philippine delegation was later informed by Russian authorities that the detained workers would be deported immediately and returned to Manila, Marcos said.
Philippine Ambassador to Moscow Igor Bailen said approximately 15,000 Filipinos are currently living and working across Russia.
