Filipinos in UAE say they cannot afford to support Duterte by withholding payments back home

Filipinos living in the UAE have said they are unable to back a campaign supporting the country's former president Rodrigo Duterte by stopping sending money back to the Philippines.

A campaign by Filipinos working overseas to withhold payments back to their home country began on Friday, in protest against the detention of Mr Duterte. He was arrested this month in Manila by police acting on an International Criminal Court warrant accusing him of crimes against humanity in connection to his deadly war on drugs.

Mr Duterte was flown to a detention unit in The Hague, where he has remained since. The protest, known as "zero remittance week", was scheduled to coincide with the former president's 80th birthday on Friday and will run until April 4.

“It will not be effective. Who will be affected? It will not affect the Philippines, only our families will be affected,” said Albert Serna, 59, an Abu Dhabi resident who sent home Dh5,000 to his wife and children on Friday.

“Even my pro-Duterte friends are sending money home today. I’m not pro-Duterte and also not pro-Marcos.

“I don’t agree with my friends, I don’t feel that you can idolise one person like Duterte. I once did support Duterte but I want a politician who does good for the people, builds the economy, gives employment to people.

Duterte became president in 2016 promising a merciless crackdown to rid the country of drugs. He has immense popularity at home and overseas although rights groups and families of victims have hailed his arrest.

Since his election, between 12,000 and 30,000 civilians are estimated to have been killed in the anti-drugs operation, according to ICC data.

Silent protest

One Dubai resident who gave her name as LP counts herself as a staunch supporter.

“Us people living abroad love this man, our heart goes to him because he always stood up for us,” said the UAE resident who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“We OFWs (Overseas Filipino Workers) feel bad and feel sad for this old man who was our president. This zero-remittance week is a silent support for him and a protest against our government without any violence.

“This gives a voice to the Filipinos to say we are a big factor contributing to remittances and it’s a way to be united and express ourselves. Maybe our government will be alarmed when they see Filipinos from America, the Middle East and Europe not sending money – it will be billions of pesos lost even in a few days.”

But she was unable to join the protest as her family in the Philippines required the money to pay bills.

“My family comes first. I do support him but these people will not feed my family. I have bills to pay at the end of the month. I don’t have a choice, I must send money home.”

Abu Dhabi resident Luz works in the food and beverage sector and she too sent home about Dh3,000 on Friday.

“This is all politics, you need to be practical,” said the 37-year-old who has lived in the UAE for a decade.

“I have to send money home to my daughter and son for their tuition fees and expenses. People are loyal to Duterte and we feel he should not have been arrested, there is justice in the Philippines. They should not have taken him to The Hague.”

Every dirham is a lifeline

It was estimated that Filipinos sent more than $38.84 billion in remittances to the Philippines last year. This money was a "backbone of countless households and a critical pillar of the national economy", according to a statement sent to The National by Al Ansari Exchange.

"These remittances support essential needs such as education, healthcare, housing, and small businesses, uplifting entire communities and driving economic growth," read the statement.

"The UAE is a significant contributor to this total, and the Philippines remains one of Al Ansari Exchange’s top remittance corridors. We recognise that every dirham sent home is a lifeline – ensuring children can stay in school, families can access medical care, and communities can thrive."

Why is the campaign popular?

The move is gaining traction with Filipinos worldwide, due to the outrage sparked by Mr Duterte's detention. He remains a popular figure, particularly among Filipinos working overseas, and candlelit prayer rallies are expected to be held in his honour around the world on Friday.

The campaign is geared towards grabbing attention without "collateral damage", organisers have said.

The $38.84 billion sent home in remittances to the Philippines last year represented more than 8 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product. Mr Duterte's supporters hope withholding the payments will force the Philippine government into action and secure his return to the country.

But Juan Ponce Enrile, chief presidential legal counsel of the Philippines, warned in a Facebook post this week that overseas workers should think “many, many times” before taking part in the boycott, saying "for every action, there is always a possible counteraction".

What are the charges?

Mr Duterte is facing a charge of “the crime against humanity of murder”, according to the ICC, over a crackdown on the drug trade. Rights groups estimate tens of thousands of mostly poor men were killed by officers and vigilantes, often without evidence they were linked to drugs.

The Philippines quit the ICC in 2019 on Mr Duterte's instructions, but the tribunal has maintained that it continues to hold jurisdiction over killings before the country's withdrawal. It also says it has jurisdiction over killings in the southern city of Davao when Mr Duterte was mayor there, years before he became president in 2016.

The hearing to confirm the charges against home was set to begin on September 23. Judges will assess whether there is enough evidence to continue to a full trial, which could take years. If Mr Duterte is convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in jail.

Watch: Former Philippines leader Duterte appears by video link at ICC

Rodrigo Duterte appears by video link at ICC

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