Philippines eyes deportation of Spaniard in alleged quarantine violation

The Philippines has filed a deportation charge against the Spanish citizen who figured in a scuffle with a police officer over an alleged quarantine rule violation in a Makati City subdivision in April.

The Bureau of Immigration (BI) said Friday it has charged Javier Salvador Parra for being an undesirable alien and for overstaying in the country.

The BI said legal officers ordered Parra to submit a counter-affidavit to answer the reports filed against him but that he "reportedly refused to receive the notice and disregarded the requirement," which was due on May 21, Thursday.

The case stemmed from a confrontation between Parra and a Makati policeman that led to an attempted arrest and injuries after the officer allegedly noticed Parra's househelp watering plants outside his house without a face mask.

The incident, which took place in Dasmariñas Village last month, was captured on video and made the rounds on social media.

The BI said foreign nationals who "blatantly disregard laws" and "disrespect persons of authority" may be considered undesirable aliens. Intelligence agents also found that Parra failed to extend his visa, Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said.

“Foreign nationals who are here in the country are expected to follow Philippine laws, especially in these special times wherein public health and safety is at risk,” Morente said in a statement.

“There is no exemption, whether you are living in a posh village, or in a slum area, you must obey the law,” he added.

The commissioner said the deportation case is separate from the criminal complaint filed by the police against the Spanish national. -NB, GMA News