Ni Itchie G. Cabayan
Press Undersecretary Claire Castro on Thursday announced that three Bureau of Immigration (BI) officials were axed after Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, who was arrested after harassing Filipinos for content, showed a photo and video of his detention in the Philippines.
Zdorovetskiy, who has been officially designated as an “undesirable alien,” posted the said videos after he got deported by the BI.
It will be recalled that following his deportation, Zdorovetskiy posted the said photo and video showing himself inside the BI’s warden facility at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig Cit.y.
He spent nine monthsin the said facility following his arrest for harassing Filipinos and mocking them.
“Tatlo po ang natanggal ng immigration official at maraming na-confiscate na cellphones,” told a press conference on Thursday.
She added: “Pero kung may iba na maaari masabi natin na nagkakaroon ng kakulangan, pai-imbestigahan pa po ito at kailangan matanggal ang dapat matanggal sa posisyon kung merong pang-aabuso.”
Castro said that Vitaly had been detained at a BI facility and some of the now controversial videos may have been recorded during the first few days after his arrest.
She assured that coordination has been made with the BI in order to prevent lapses in protocol and ensure that proper procedures are being observed in detention facilities.
Meanwhile, an investigation is ongoing to address the issue and make sure that such will not happen again in the future.
