Manila, March 29 -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Saturday expressed gratitude to United Arab Emirates (UAE) President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for granting clemency to 115 Filipino convicts during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The Embassy of the UAE in Manila on Friday informed the Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) - Office of the Middle East and African Affairs, about the royal pardon.

Marcos thanked the UAE president for the pardon, saying it would bring hope to the convicts' families and signifies the Gulf state's commitment to humanitarian values.

"The UAE Ambassador in Manila has personally informed us that for this season's Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr, no less than 115 convicted F...