3 BI officials relieved over ‘special treatment’ for Russian vlogger
He may have already left the country, but Russian vlogger Vitaly Zdorovetskiy is far from done from causing a headache for officials at the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
On Thursday, Palace press officer Claire Castro said three BI officials were relieved after Zdorovetskiy managed to record videos even while under the bureau’s custody. This further fueled allegations that he received special treatment while detained.
According to Castro, Malacañang already tackled the issue with the BI, which confirmed that the vlogger was indeed able to record the early part of the time he spent in the bureau’s detention facility.
“So because of that, three immigration officials were dismissed and several cell phones were confiscated,” Castro said in a press briefing.
She assured the public that the incident remains under investigation, as she also warned that more officials could be dismissed if they are found to be remiss in their duties.
Disruptive behavior
Zdorovetskiy was arrested in April last year for disruptive behavior, including harassing a security guard and commandeering a tricycle, which he later crashed into a parked jeepney.
He was declared an undesirable alien and deported to Russia on Jan. 17 this year.
Another Russian vlogger, however, has been arrested in Quezon City after he threatened to purposely spread the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the country.
The BI identified the vlogger as 21-year-old Nikita Chekhov, who, in a viral video filmed at Bonifacio High Street in Taguig City, said he “intended to spread HIV during his stay in the Philippines.”
“The videos—believed to be made as ‘rage-bait’ content—sparked widespread concern and fear among residents and online users,” the BI said in a statement on Thursday.
Chekhov is from Taganrog, Rostov Oblast, Russia, and he arrived in the country on Jan. 15 from Shanghai, China, the BI added.
Immigration Commissioner Joel Anthony Viado condemned the “so-called rage-bait videos,” saying that foreigners who come to the Philippines “to spread alarm, disrespect our people or abuse our hospitality are not welcome and will face deportation.”
Since his arrest, Chekhov has been at the BI detention facility, awaiting deportation proceedings.
Rage-bait videos are designed to provoke strong negative emotions in a bid to boost engagement.
