Russia frees 24 Filipinos after Philippine President Marcos talks with Putin

Russia has freed 24 Filipinos who have been detained for months without charges in a Siberian city, after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. raised concern for them in a meeting with President Vladimir Putin, Philippine officials said Saturday. The two dozen freed Filipinos were scheduled to arrive in Manila in two flights early Sunday, with the first batch to be welcomed by Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro, who accompanied Marcos in his talks with Putin on Wednesday in the Russian city of Kazan, the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said. Marcos, who currently holds the rotating presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, led leaders of the 11-nation bloc in commemorating the 35th anniversary of ASEAN's diplomatic relations with Russia. Marcos held a bilateral meeting with Putin on the sidelines of the summit in Kazan. The release of the Filipinos was relatively swift after Marcos raised his concern on Wednesday. The Philippines is a key treaty ally of the United States in Asia and was among the majority of ASEAN members that voted for a U.N. General Assembly resolution condemning Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) shakes hands with Philippine President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Romualdez Marcos Jr. on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit, in Kazan, Russia, on June 17, 2026. …