MANILA (UPDATED) — Seventeen overseas Filipino workers detained in Qatar for staging a pro-Duterte rally have been given provisional release, the Department of Migrant Workers said Thursday. 

DMW Secretary Hans Cacdac said the 12 male OFWs were provisionally released at 2:30 a.m. Qatari time (7:30 a.m. in Manila) while the 5 female OFWs were also released at 4 a.m. Qatari time (9 a.m. in Manila) pending investigation. 

He said the 17 are facing investigation for illegal assembly and gathering without a permit, which could be meted a punishment of 6 months to 3 years jail and a fine of 10,000-50,000 Qatari riyals. 

"They are all allowed to go home in Doha. Since they are still subject to investigation, patuloy ang legal assistance and legal counsel...They are not allowed to travel outside Qatar. That said, provisional liberty is still liberty," he told reporters. 

Officials earlier said a total of 20 OFWs were arrested for participating in a non-violent but unauthorized rally at a beach some 70 kilometers outside Doha to protest the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte.

Three of the arrested Filipinos were later released as they were still minors.

Cacdac said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has directed the DMW to provide legal and welfare assistance to the arrested Filipinos.

“Ang main point is that they have been detained, and an inquiry as whether charges have been filed. Wala pa naman sa ngayon, so perhaps it would be best to secure their provisional liberty in the absence of charges and while investigations are going on,” the official said.

“We know for sure that the Qatari Investigation Service is still conducting its own inquiry and investigation.”

Cacdac said that for conducing an illegal assembly or gathering without a permit, the Filipinos face the possibility of from six months to three years imprisonment as well as a potential fine of 10,000 to 50,000 Qatari riyals (P157,944 to 789,724), subject to the recommendation of the prosecutor and discretion of the Qatari criminal court.

“But of course, part of the legal assistance that have been so carefully directed by the President is to put up the best legal defense for our 17 kababayans,” Cacdac assured the public..

He also  appealed to Filipinos overseas to strictly observe laws and regulations of their host countries.

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DFA: P1 MILLION BAIL NOT TRUE

Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Eduardo de Vega earlier in the day denied reports that detained OFWs in Qatar could post P1 million bail for their release.

"There are reports that they are being asked P1 million in bail — no such thing. There's no bail," he said in an interview on ANC.

De Vega surmised that the OFWs were arrested because the planned demonstrations worldwide were announced on social media, which might have alerted Qatari authorities.

Unauthorized public demonstrations are illegal under Qatar's law and gatherings and protests require approval from the government.

The DFA earlier said the OFWs were not arrested for overstaying in the Middle Eastern country.

“They are arrested not because they were illegal but because of their political demonstration,” De Vega said, debunking social media posts that claimed the Filipinos had been arrested for visa violations.

“If they are released, hopefully they are not deported,” the undersecretary said.

“The one with the expired visa, at best he might be deported,” he said.