President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for a thorough investigation into allegations of corruption in Bureau of Immigration (BI) detention facilities, following claims made by deported Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy.
Palace Press Secretary Claire Castro said on Monday that while Zdorovetskiy “has done nothing but malign our country” in his videos, the government would still look into his accusations.
Castro also warned that officials who fail to heed the President’s directive to maintain a corruption-free government could face dismissal.
“Every agency, all agency heads, and every government employee knows that the President wants this government to be free from corruption,” she said. “If they do not comply, they may be removed from their positions.”
Castro also announced the firing of three more BI officials over the alleged special treatment given to Zdorovetskiy during his nine-month detention at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Viado accepted the courtesy resignation of the head of the BI warden facility and removed two deputies in charge of warden facilities in Camp Bagong Diwa and the Bureau of Corrections compound in Muntinlupa City.
Zdorovetskiy, who was arrested in April last year for harassing individuals in Bonifacio Global City, claimed he was able to bring a cellphone into detention after bribing jail guards.
In a livestream with American online personality Adin Ross on Jan. 23, he said: “I had a phone the whole time in jail. I vlogged the whole experience. I’m going to expose the corruption… You can do anything. Money talks in the Philippines.” He was deported to Russia on Jan. 17.
BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval clarified that detainees are allowed limited cellphone use to contact family, counsel, or embassies, but watching videos or vlogging is prohibited.
She added that Zdorovetskiy likely did not smuggle the phone himself, as he was under heavy guard, and suggested it may have been other foreign nationals who assisted him.
