Filipino convicted of spying in Qatar spared from gallows

Doha, Qatar skyline (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)

DOHA, Qatar – A Filipino convicted of espionage in Qatar had been spared from the gallows when the death sentence meted to him was commuted to life imprisonment, Philippine Ambassador to Qatar Alan Timbayan said Friday.

Timbayan said Abdullah Chua Tan had been in death row for seven years ago after being convicted for possessing documents of and photographs about sensitive Qatari facilities – including a military camp.

Timbayan said, however, it was not made clear whom Tan was spying for.

He added that security was a top concern in Qatar, especially with the advent of the Islamic State, or Daesh.

Tan is among Filipinos locked up in Qatari jails over various offenses.

Other charges faced by jailed Filipinos here includes “love offense” – euphemism for immorality. They were arrested for being in the private company of individuals they were not married to.

The good news, Timbayan said, was that no Filipino was on Qatari death row at the moment.

Timbayan said President Rodrigo Duterte might be discussing the plight of Filipinos in jails here with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad al-Thani when the two leaders would meet later in the week.

Other issues that Duterte might raise, he said, include labor and security issues. /atm