Russia has released 24 Filipino citizens who were detained in Irkutsk, Siberia, following a bilateral meeting between Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Filipinos are scheduled to return to Manila in October 2025.
Key Developments
The 24 Filipino nationals were released from detention in Irkutsk after President Marcos raised their case during a meeting with President Putin. The meeting took place on October 23, 2025, in Kazan, Russia, on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Russia summit.
Release and Repatriation
- The 24 Filipinos are scheduled to arrive in Manila on two flights on October 26, 2025.
- Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro will welcome the first batch of returnees.
Detention Details
- The Filipinos had been held for approximately nine months without charges.
- Philippine officials reported possible violations of immigration laws and potential illegal job recruitment as factors in the detention.
Official Statements
President Marcos stated he raised the issue of the detained Filipinos during the bilateral meeting with President Putin. According to Marcos, Putin initially said he was unaware of the situation and promised to investigate.
Later that evening, during dinner, Putin informed Marcos that the detainees had not been charged with any wrongdoing. Marcos quoted Putin as stating, "Don't worry, we will find a way to fix this problem."
Russian officials subsequently notified the Philippine delegation that the Filipinos would be deported immediately.
Background
President Marcos attended the ASEAN-Russia summit in Kazan as the current rotating chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The summit marked the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between ASEAN and Russia.
The Philippines, a key treaty ally of the United States, was among the majority of ASEAN members that voted for a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
According to the Philippine Ambassador to Moscow, approximately 15,000 Filipinos live and work in Russia.