MANILA – An American who was caught on video berating and physically assaulting a delivery rider in Cebu City is now under the custody of the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco said Monday that operatives of the bureau's intelligence division arrested Phillip Justin Bean, 43, inside his hotel room in Day-as, Barangay Zapatera, Cebu City on March 1.
A mission order was issued against the foreigner after an investigation revealed that he is already overstaying in the country for almost a year.
BI records showed that his last extension of stay was on April 7, 2022, thus he already overstayed his tourist visa by 11 months.
“He has no right to verbally and physically abuse a Filipino. His actions show that he is abusing the hospitality of our country. He should be deported for being an undesirable alien,” Tansingco said in a statement.
The BI chief said the foreigner also appears to be an illegal worker as it was learned that he works as a duty manager in a bar in Cebu City without the required work permit and visa.
He added that Bean will be included in the immigration blacklist to perpetually ban him from re-entering the Philippines. (PNA)