MANILA, April 2 -- The chairperson of the House Committee on Overseas Workers Affairs on Tuesday urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to lobby for the pardon or commutation of sentences of overseas Filipinos convicted of crimes as the holy month of Ramadan draws to a close.

In a statement, KABAYAN Party-list Rep. Ron Salo said the DFA could intercede on behalf of the convicted overseas Filipinos, noting that Ramadan is a favorable time to seek pardon in Muslim-majority countries.

He described Ramadan as a period of reflection, forgiveness, and renewal in the Islamic faith.

"As Ramadan nears its end, we urge the DFA and Philippine Embassies in Muslim countries to make the necessary representation and actively intercede on behal...