The deportation of a Filipino who was convicted for strangling his partner in New Zealand was put on hold on humanitarian grounds.
Marical Lyogo, 44, first arrived in New Zealand in 2019 with an essential skills work visa.
During the pandemic, he was charged with assault with the intent to injure his partner in 2020.
The New Zealand Immigration and Protection Tribunal sentenced him to spend nine months’ supervision and five months’ community detention. In August 2021, he was served a deportation liability notice.
Lyogo appealed for humanitarian consideration not to be deported as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 currently ravages the Philippines and his hometown Pasig was “irreparably damaged” by heavy flooding in November 2020.
He said their house in Pasig was badly affected by the flooding and that his family back home currently relies on government support.
Lyogo’s lawyers argued: “The appellant has since completed a number of rehabilitative courses, including a living without violence programme, and sessions with an addiction and recovery service. The couple remains living together.”
“The appellant does not have a home to return to and if deported, he and his partner will be homeless.”
