Philippine immigration authorities have arrested a 21-year-old Russian vlogger who went viral on social media after posting videos threatening to deliberately spread HIV during his stay in the country, the Bureau of Immigration said Thursday.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado identified the vlogger as Nikita Chekhov, who was arrested inside a condominium building in Quezon City.
Viado condemned the videos, describing them as “rage-bait” content that caused fear and alarm among the public.
“Foreign nationals who come to the Philippines to spread alarm, disrespect our people, or abuse our hospitality are not welcome and will face deportation,” Viado said in a statement.
The bureau said Chekhov posted videos filmed at Bonifacio High Street in Taguig City, in which he claimed he intended to spread HIV while in the Philippines. The content sparked widespread concern among residents and online users, the BI said.
Chekhov has been placed at the bureau’s detention facility pending deportation proceedings. The BI said it has coordinated with the Department of Health on the case.
According to immigration authorities, Chekhov is a native of Taganrog in Russia’s Rostov Oblast. He arrived in the Philippines from Shanghai, China, on Jan. 15 as a tourist and has no known relatives in the country.
The arrest follows the recent deportation of Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy for committing undesirable acts in Bonifacio Global City, as well as the arrest of Estonian YouTuber Siim Roosipuu, who was declared persona non grata in Dumaguete City over content involving minors.
The BI said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has directed the agency to ensure that foreign nationals who abuse the country’s hospitality and undermine public safety are held accountable under Philippine law.
