Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, who was involved in harassment-related incidents in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig, last year, has served his sentence and is set for deportation, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) announced.
In a press briefing in Quezon City, DILG Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla said that although Zdorovetskiy holds a U.S. green card, he is a Russian citizen and will be deported to Russia in accordance with standard immigration procedures.
“He carries a Russian passport, so the deportation will be processed there,” Remulla said.
The DILG chief reminded foreign visitors that they are welcome in the Philippines but must respect local laws, just as Filipinos are expected to follow laws when abroad.
Zdorovetskiy is expected to leave the country within the week on a flight via Kalibo, Aklan, en route to Moscow.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) confirmed that a deportation order has been issued and is awaiting final clearances from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the courts. The BI also noted that all cases and penalties against Zdorovetskiy have been resolved and that coordination with Russian authorities is ongoing.
Zdorovetskiy was arrested in April last year for filming prank videos involving Filipino civilians in BGC. Reports said his actions included attempting to kiss and grab a security guard, trying to seize the guard’s firearm, recording individuals without consent, and vlogging in the area without the required permits.
