The Bureau of Immigration ordered the deportation of an overstaying American “troublemaker” who was found to hold an expired United States passport.
Victor Didenko was held by police and immigration agents and brought to the BI ward facility in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City for being “undesirable, overstaying and undocumented” alien.
“Aside from being a notorious troublemaker, he will be deported for holding an expired US passport and overstaying his tourist visa,” Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said.
The American has become a “public charge” and a burden to society as he had been the perennial subject of complaints by citizens who saw him frequently roam the streets of Manila and Pasay, begging for money from strangers and engaging in acts that disturb the peace.
“We cannot allow unruly foreigners like him, who have no means of support, to stay in our country any longer, lest he becomes primarily dependent on the government for subsistence,” Morente said.
BI-FSU chief Bobby Raquepo said Didenko was charged last July before a Manila court with violating a city ordinance for breach of peace in July this year.
The charges were filed after policemen arrested him along Mabini Street, Ermita for shouting in public at the top of his voice, uttering insulting remarks on Filipinos and challenging everyone to a fistfight.
“We also heard that he had been begging for alms from passersby on the pretext that he was robbed of his money and passport,” Raquepo said.
Didenko arrived in Manila in September last year, and that he had been overstaying since March when the period of his extended stay as a tourist expired.
The US Embassy also confirmed that his passport already expired last Oct. 25, thus making him an undocumented alien.