Foreigners not exempted from Philippine laws, BI says after Dasma incident

Foreigners are not exempted from Philippine laws, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said as it investigates an incident involving a Spanish man confronting a police officer over an alleged quarantine violation in Makati City.

BI spokesperson Dana Sandoval said foreigners are expected to abide by Philippine laws and that those who disregard them and disrespect persons of authority may be considered undesirable and subjected to deportation proceedings.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, Sandoval said the bureau is assessing whether Javier Salvador Parra, a resident of Dasmariñas Village, disrespected a person of authority. They are also looking into his immigration status, she said.

In a statement, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente reminded foreigners that the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act, the law granting President Rodrigo Duterte more powers to address the COVID-19 crisis, states that foreigners who are found to violate its provisions will be deported, on top of a prison term and a fine.

"If deported, alien offenders will be perpetually barred from returning to the country," Morente said.

A verbal confrontation between Javier Salvador Parra and a Makati policeman resulted in an attempted arrest and injuries after the officer noticed the foreigner's helper watering plants outside his house without a face mask, a violation of community quarantine rules.

For his part, Integrated Bar of the Philippines president Domingo Egon Cayosa said an officer may arrest a person who committed an offense in his presence without a warrant, this being a ground for warrantless arrest in the Rules of Court.

"'Yung principle ng warrantless arrest, o kaya hot pursuit, hindi po 'yan base sa gravity ng offense. It does not make any distinction," he said in a separate interview on Dobol B sa News TV.

He also said that though Dasmariñas Village is a gated subdivision, the sidewalks and roads can be considered public areas as they are spaces shared with other people.

He urged prosecutors and the courts to quickly resolve the case. --KBK, GMA News